Clinical significance of runt-related transcription factor 1 polymorphism in prostate cancer

KRAS mutations upregulate Runx1 to promote occurrence of head and neck squamous cell carcinoma

Gene mutations play an important role in head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) by not only promoting the occurrence and progression of HNSCC but also affecting sensitivity to treatment and prognosis. KRAS is one of the most frequently mutated oncogenes, which has been reported to have a mutation rate from 1.7% to 12.7% and may lead to poor prognosis in HNSCC, but its role remains unclear. Here, we found that the KRAS mutation can promote HNSCC generation through synergism with 4-Nitroquinoline-1-Oxide(4NQO). Mechanistically, KRAS mutations can significantly upregulate Runx1 to promote oral epithelial cell proliferation and migration and inhibit apoptosis. Runx1 inhibitor Ro 5-3335 can effectively inhibit KRAS-mutated HNSCC progression both in vitro and in vivo. These findings suggest that the KRAS mutation plays an important role in HNSCC and that Runx1 may be a novel therapeutic target for KRAS-mutated HNSCC.

RUNX1 Dosage in Development and Cancer

The transcription factor RUNX1 first came to prominence due to its involvement in the t(8;21) translocation in acute myeloid leukemia (AML). Since this discovery, RUNX1 has been shown to play important roles not only in leukemia but also in the ontogeny of the normal hematopoietic system. Although it is currently still challenging to fully assess the different parameters regulating RUNX1 dosage, it has become clear that the dose of RUNX1 can greatly affect both leukemia and normal hematopoietic development. It is also becoming evident that varying levels of RUNX1 expression can be used as markers of tumor progression not only in the hematopoietic system, but also in non-hematopoietic cancers. Here, we provide an overview of the current knowledge of the effects of RUNX1 dosage in normal development of both hematopoietic and epithelial tissues and their associated cancers.

A Gene Signature of Survival Prediction for Kidney Renal Cell Carcinoma by Multi-Omic Data Analysis

Kidney renal cell carcinoma (KIRC), which is the most common subtype of kidney cancer, has a poor prognosis and a high mortality rate. In this study, a multi-omics analysis is performed to build a multi-gene prognosis signature for KIRC. A combination of a DNA methylation analysis and a gene expression data analysis revealed 863 methylated differentially expressed genes (MDEGs). Seven MDEGs (BID, CCNF, DLX4, FAM72D, PYCR1, RUNX1, and TRIP13) were further screened using LASSO Cox regression and integrated into a prognostic risk score model. Then, KIRC patients were divided into high- and low-risk groups. A univariate cox regression analysis revealed a significant association between the high-risk group and a poor prognosis. The time-dependent receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve shows that the risk group performs well in predicting overall survival. Furthermore, the risk group is contained in the best multivariate model that was obtained by a multivariate stepwise analysis, which further confirms that the risk group can be used as a potential prognostic biomarker. In addition, a nomogram was established for the best multivariate model and shown to perform well in predicting the survival of KIRC patients. In summary, a seven-MDEG signature is a powerful prognosis factor for KIRC patients and may provide useful suggestions for their personalized therapy.

Prostate Cancer Gene Regulatory Network Inferred from RNA-Seq Data

BACKGROUND

Cancer is a complex disease with a lucid etiology and in understanding the causation, we need to appreciate this complexity.

OBJECTIVE

Here we are aiming to gain insights into the genetic associations of prostate cancer through a network-based systems approach using the BC3Net algorithm.

METHODS

Specifically, we infer a prostate cancer Gene Regulatory Network (GRN) from a large-scale gene expression data set of 333 patient RNA-seq profiles obtained from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) database.

RESULTS

We analyze the functional components of the inferred network by extracting subnetworks based on biological process information and interpret the role of known cancer genes within each process. Fur-thermore, we investigate the local landscape of prostate cancer genes and discuss pathological associa-tions that may be relevant in the development of new targeted cancer therapies.

CONCLUSION

Our network-based analysis provides a practical systems biology approach to reveal the collective gene-interactions of prostate cancer. This allows a close interpretation of biological activity in terms of the hallmarks of cancer.

Transcription of the Human 5-Hydroxytryptamine Receptor 2B (HTR2B) Gene Is under the Regulatory Influence of the Transcription Factors NFI and RUNX1 in Human Uveal Melanoma

Because it accounts for 70% of all eye cancers, uveal melanoma (UM) is therefore the most common primary ocular malignancy. In this study, we investigated the molecular mechanisms leading to the aberrant expression of the gene encoding the serotonin receptor 2B (HTR2B), one of the most discriminating among the candidates from the class II gene signature, in metastatic and non-metastatic UM cell lines. Transfection analyses revealed that the upstream regulatory region of the HTR2B gene contains a combination of alternative positive and negative regulatory elements functional in HTR2B⁻ but not in HTR23B⁺ UM cells. We demonstrated that both the transcription factors nuclear factor I (NFI) and Runt-related transcription factor I (RUNX1) interact with regulatory elements from the HTR2B gene to either activate (NFI) or repress (RUNX1) HTR2B expression in UM cells. The results of this study will help understand better the molecular mechanisms accounting for the abnormal expression of the HTR2B gene in uveal melanoma.

A common regulatory variant in SLC35B4 influences the recurrence and survival of prostate cancer

Single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) within the regulatory elements of a gene can alter gene expression, making these SNPs of prime importance for candidate gene association studies. We aimed to determine whether such regulatory variants are associated with clinical outcomes in three cohorts of patients with prostate cancer. We used RegulomeDB to identify potential regulatory variants based on in silico predictions and reviewed genome‐wide experimental findings. Overall, 131 putative regulatory SNPs with the highest confidence score on predicted functionality were investigated in two independent localized prostate cancer cohorts totalling 458 patients who underwent radical prostatectomy. The statistically significant SNPs identified in these two cohorts were then tested in an additional cohort of 504 patients with advanced prostate cancer. We identified one regulatory SNPs, rs1646724, that are consistently associated with increased risk of recurrence in localized disease (P = .003) and mortality in patients with advanced prostate cancer (P = .032) after adjusting for known clinicopathological factors. Further investigation revealed that rs1646724 may affect expression of SLC35B4, which encodes a glycosyltransferase, and that down‐regulation of SLC35B4 by transfecting short hairpin RNA in DU145 human prostate cancer cell suppressed proliferation, migration and invasion. Furthermore, we found increased SLC35B4 expression correlated with more aggressive forms of prostate cancer and poor patient prognosis. Our study provides robust evidence that regulatory genetic variants can affect clinical outcomes.

The enigmatic role of RUNX1 in female-related cancers - current knowledge & future perspectives

Historically associated with the aetiology of human leukaemia, the runt-related transcription factor 1 (RUNX1) gene has in recent years reared its head in an assortment of epithelial cancers. This review discusses the state-of-the-art knowledge of the enigmatic role played by RUNX1 in female-related cancers of the breast, the uterus and the ovary. The weight of evidence accumulated so far is indicative of a very context-dependent role, as either an oncogene or a tumour suppressor. This is corroborated by high-throughput sequencing endeavours which report different genetic alterations affecting the gene, including amplification, deep deletion and mutations. Herein, we attempt to dissect that contextual role by firstly giving an overview of what is currently known about RUNX1 function in these specific tumour types, and secondly by delving into connections between this transcription factor and the physiology of these female tissues. In doing so, RUNX1 emerges not only as a gene involved in female sex development but also as a crucial mediator of female hormone signalling. In view of RUNX1 now being listed as a driver gene, we believe that greater knowledge of the mechanisms underlying its functional dualism in epithelial cancers is worthy of further investigation.

Cancer Stem Cell Gene Variants Predict Disease Recurrence in Patients Treated with Radical Prostatectomy for Prostate Cancer

Background: Cancer stem cells (CSCs) are involved in tumor progression and drug resistance. We hypothesized that variants in CSC marker genes influence treatment outcomes in prostate cancer. Methods: Ten potentially functional single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in seven prostate CSC marker genes, TACSTD2, PROM1, ITGA2, POU5F1, EZH2, PSCA, and CD44, were selected for analysis of their association with disease recurrence by Kaplan-Meier analysis and Cox regression in a cohort of 320 patients with localized prostate cancer receiving radical prostatectomy. Results: We identified one independent SNP, rs2394882, in POU5F1 that was associated with prostate cancer recurrence (hazard ratio 0.32, 95% confidence interval 0.14-0.71, P = 0.005) after adjustment for known clinical predictors. Further in silico functional analyses revealed that rs2394882 affects POU5F1 expression, which in turn is significantly correlated with prostate cancer aggressiveness and patient prognosis. Conclusion: Our results suggest that rs2394882 is prognostically relevant in prostate cancer, possibly by modulating the expression of the CSC gene POU5F1.

Prognostic Relevance of Methylenetetrahydrofolate Reductase Polymorphisms for Prostate Cancer

Folate metabolism has been associated with cancers via alterations in nucleotide synthesis, DNA methylation, and DNA repair. We hypothesized that genetic variants in methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase (MTHFR), a key enzyme of folate metabolism, would affect the prognosis of prostate cancer. Three haplotype-tagging single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) across the MTHFR gene region were genotyped in a cohort of 458 patients with clinically localized prostate cancer treated with radical prostatectomy. One SNP, rs9651118, was associated with disease recurrence, and the association persisted after multivariate analyses adjusting for known risk factors. Public dataset analyses suggested that rs9651118 affects MTHFR expression. Quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction analysis revealed that MTHFR expression is significantly upregulated in prostate tumor tissues when compared with adjacent normal tissues. Furthermore, overexpression of MTHFR correlates with cancer recurrence and death in two independent publicly available prostate cancer datasets. In conclusion, our data provide rationale to further validate the clinical utility of MTHFR rs9651118 as a biomarker for prognosis in prostate cancer.

Genetic variants in ultraconserved regions associate with prostate cancer recurrence and survival

Ultraconserved regions (UCRs) are DNA segments of longer than 200 bp in length that are completely conserved between human, rat, and mouse genomes. Recent studies have shown that UCRs are frequently located at fragile sites involved in cancers, and their levels of transcription can be altered during human tumorigenesis. We systematically evaluated 14 common single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) within UCRs in three cohorts of prostate cancer patients, to test the hypothesis that these UCR SNPs might influence clinical outcomes. Examination using multivariate analysis adjusted for known clinicopathologic factors found association between rs8004379 and recurrence in localized disease [hazard ratio (HR) 0.61, 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.41–0.91, P = 0.015], which was confirmed in the replication set (HR 0.70, 95% CI 0.51–0.96, P = 0.027). Remarkably, a consistent association of rs8004379 with a decreased risk for prostate cancer-specific mortality was also observed in the advanced prostate cancer patient group (HR 0.48, 95% CI 0.32–0.70, P < 0.001). Additional in silico analysis suggests that rs8004379 tends to affect NPAS3 expression, which in turn was found to be correlated with patient prognosis. In conclusion, our findings suggest that SNPs within UCRs may be valuable prognostic biomarkers for assessing prostate cancer treatment response and survival.

RUNX1, an androgen- and EZH2-regulated gene, has differential roles in AR-dependent and -independent prostate cancer

Androgen receptor (AR) signaling is essential for the development of prostate cancer. Here, we report that runt-related transcription factor (RUNX1) could be a key molecule for the androgen-dependence of prostate cancer. We found RUNX1 is a target of AR and regulated positively by androgen. Our RUNX1 ChIP-seq analysis indicated that RUNX1 is recruited to AR binding sites by interacting with AR. In androgen-dependent cancer, loss of RUNX1 impairs AR-dependent transcription and cell growth. The RUNX1 promoter is bound by enhancer of zeste homolog 2 (EZH2) and is negatively regulated by histone H3 lysine 27 (K27) trimethylation. Repression of RUNX1 is important for the growth promotion ability of EZH2 in AR-independent cells. In clinical prostate cancer samples, the RUNX1 expression level is negatively associated with EZH2 and that RUNX1 loss correlated with poor prognosis. These results indicated the significance of RUNX1 for androgen-dependency and that loss of RUNX1 could be a key step for the progression of prostate cancer.

Prognostic Value of Prostaglandin-endoperoxide Synthase 2 Polymorphisms in Prostate Cancer Recurrence after Radical Prostatectomy

Backgroud: Increasing evidence suggests the involvement of chronic inflammation in the progression of prostate cancer, and prostaglandin-endoperoxide synthase 2 (PTGS2), also known as cyclooxygenase-2, catalyzes the rate-limiting steps of the pathway. We hypothesized that genetic variants of PTGS2 can influence the outcome of prostate cancer patients.

METHODS

We genotyped five haplotype-tagging single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) to detect common genetic variations across the PTGS2 region in 458 prostate cancer patients treated with radical prostatectomy.

RESULTS

One SNP, rs4648302, was associated with disease recurrence. Five-year recurrence-free survival rate increased according to the number of variant alleles inherited (55.6%, 70.7%, and 100.0% for patients with different genotypes; P = 0.037), and the effect was maintained in multivariable analysis. Public dataset analyses also suggested that PTGS2 expression was correlated with prostate cancer prognosis.

CONCLUSION

Our results indicated that PTGS2 could be a potential prognostic marker to improve the prediction of disease recurrence in prostate cancer patients.

Genetic variants of the autophagy pathway as prognostic indicators for prostate cancer

Autophagy is a complex process of autodigestion in conditions of cellular stress, and it might play an important role in the pathophysiology during carcinogenesis. We hypothesize that genetic variants of the autophagy pathway may influence clinical outcomes in prostate cancer patients. We genotyped 40 tagging single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) from 7 core autophagy pathway genes in 458 localized prostate cancer patients. Multivariate Cox regression was performed to evaluate the independent association of each SNP with disease progression. Positive findings were then replicated in an independent cohort of 504 advanced prostate cancer patients. After adjusting for known clinicopathologic factors, the association between ATG16L1 rs78835907 and recurrence in localized disease [hazard ratio (HR) 0.70, 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.54–0.90, P = 0.006] was replicated in more advanced disease (HR 0.78, 95% CI 0.64–0.95, P = 0.014). Additional integrated in silico analysis suggests that rs78835907 tends to affect ATG16L1 expression, which in turn is correlated with tumor aggressiveness and patient prognosis. In conclusion, genetic variants of the autophagy pathway contribute to the variable outcomes in prostate cancer, and discovery of these novel biomarkers might help stratify patients according to their risk of disease progression.

Genetic variants in the Hippo pathway predict biochemical recurrence after radical prostatectomy for localized prostate cancer

While localized prostate cancer is potentially curative, many patients still show biochemical recurrence (BCR) after curative treatments such as radical prostatectomy (RP). The Hippo pathway has recently been shown to be an evolutionarily conserved regulator of tissue growth, and its perturbation can trigger tumorigenesis. We hypothesize that genetic variants of the Hippo pathway may influence clinical outcomes in localized prostate cancer patients. We genotyped 53 tagging single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) from seven core Hippo pathway genes in 246 localized prostate cancer patients treated with RP. Kaplan-Meier analysis and Cox proportional hazard models were utilized to identify significant SNPs that correlated with BCR. For replication, five associated SNPs were genotyped in an independent cohort of 212 patients. After adjusting for known clinicopathologic factors, the association between STK3 rs7827435 and BCR (P = 0.018) was replicated in the second stage (P = 0.026; P_combined = 0.001). Additional integrated in silico analysis provided evidence that rs7827435 affects STK3 expression, which in turn is significantly correlated with tumor aggressiveness and patient prognosis. In conclusion, genetic variants of the Hippo pathway contribute to the variable outcomes of prostate cancer, and the discovery of these biomarkers provides a molecular approach for prognostic risk assessment.

Genetic interaction analysis of TCF7L2 for biochemical recurrence after radical prostatectomy in localized prostate cancer

Backgroud: Accumulated evidence has demonstrated a significant role of the Wnt pathway in human prostate cancer. We hypothesize that genetic variants in the Wnt pathway effector, Transcription factor 7-like 2 (TCF7L2), may influence clinical outcomes in prostate cancer.

METHODS

We comprehensively selected 12 tagged single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) to capture majority of common variants across TCF7L2, and genotyped in 458 localized prostate cancer patients treated with radical prostatectomy (RP). Kaplan-Meier analysis, Cox proportional hazard model, and survival tree analyses were performed to identify significant SNPs that correlated with biochemical recurrence (BCR) after surgery.

RESULTS

A higher-order SNP-SNP interaction profile consisting of TCF7L2 rs7094463, rs10749127, and rs11196224 was significantly associated with BCR (P trend = 0.001). After adjusting for possible confounders, the genetic profile remained significant (P trend = 0.007). None of the studied SNPs were individually associated with BCR.

CONCLUSIONS

Our results support a genetic interaction in the TCF7L2 SNPs as a predictor of disease recurrence after curative RP in localized prostate cancer patients.

Posttranslational modifications of RUNX1 as potential anticancer targets

The transcription factor RUNX1 is a master regulator of hematopoiesis. Disruption of RUNX1 activity has been implicated in the development of hematopoietic neoplasms. Recent studies also highlight the importance of RUNX1 in solid tumors both as a tumor promoter and a suppressor. Given its central role in cancer development, RUNX1 is an excellent candidate for targeted therapy. A potential strategy to target RUNX1 is through modulation of its posttranslational modifications (PTMs). Numerous studies have shown that RUNX1 activity is regulated by PTMs, including phosphorylation, acetylation, methylation and ubiquitination. These PTMs regulate RUNX1 activity either positively or negatively by altering RUNX1-mediated transcription, promoting protein degradation and affecting protein interactions. In this review, we first summarize the available data on the context- and dosage-dependent roles of RUNX1 in various types of neoplasms. We then provide a comprehensive overview of RUNX1 PTMs from biochemical and biologic perspectives. Finally, we discuss how aberrant PTMs of RUNX1 might contribute to tumorigenesis and also strategies to develop anticancer therapies targeting RUNX1 PTMs.

RUNX1 positively regulates a cell adhesion and migration program in murine hemogenic endothelium prior to blood emergence

During ontogeny, the transcription factor RUNX1 governs the emergence of definitive hematopoietic cells from specialized endothelial cells called hemogenic endothelium (HE). The ultimate consequence of this endothelial-to-hematopoietic transition is the concomitant activation of the hematopoietic program and downregulation of the endothelial program. However, due to the rare and transient nature of the HE, little is known about the initial role of RUNX1 within this population. We, therefore, developed and implemented a highly sensitive DNA adenine methyltransferase identification-based methodology, including a novel data analysis pipeline, to map early RUNX1 transcriptional targets in HE cells. This novel transcription factor binding site identification protocol should be widely applicable to other low abundance cell types and factors. Integration of the RUNX1 binding profile with gene expression data revealed an unexpected early role for RUNX1 as a positive regulator of cell adhesion- and migration-associated genes within the HE. This suggests that RUNX1 orchestrates HE cell positioning and integration prior to the release of hematopoietic cells. Overall, our genome-wide analysis of the RUNX1 binding and transcriptional profile in the HE provides a novel comprehensive resource of target genes that will facilitate the precise dissection of the role of RUNX1 in early blood development.

Genetic variants in microRNAs and microRNA target sites predict biochemical recurrence after radical prostatectomy in localized prostate cancer

Recent evidence indicates that microRNAs might participate in prostate cancer initiation, progression and treatment response. Germline variations in microRNAs might alter target gene expression and modify the efficacy of prostate cancer therapy. To determine whether genetic variants in microRNAs and microRNA target sites are associated with the risk of biochemical recurrence (BCR) after radical prostatectomy (RP). We retrospectively studied two independent cohorts composed of 320 Asian and 526 Caucasian men with pathologically organ-confined prostate cancer who had a median follow-up of 54.7 and 88.8 months after RP, respectively. Patients were systematically genotyped for 64 single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in microRNAs and microRNA target sites, and their prognostic significance on BCR was assessed by Kaplan-Meier analysis and Cox regression model. After adjusting for known clinicopathologic risk factors, two SNPs (MIR605 rs2043556 and CDON rs3737336) remained associated with BCR. The numbers of risk alleles showed a cumulative effect on BCR [perallele hazard ratio (HR) 1.60, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.16-2.21, p for trend = 0.005] in Asian cohort, and the risk was replicated in Caucasian cohort (HR 1.55, 95% CI 1.15-2.08, p for trend = 0.004) and in combined analysis (HR 1.57, 95% CI 1.26-1.96, p for trend <0.001). Results warrant replication in larger cohorts. This is the first study demonstrating that SNPs in microRNAs and microRNA target sites can be predictive biomarkers for BCR after RP.

Knockdown of core binding factorβ alters sphingolipid metabolism

Core binding factor (CBF) is a heterodimeric transcription factor containing one of three DNA-binding proteins of the Runt-related transcription factor family (RUNX1-3) and the non-DNA-binding protein, CBFβ. RUNX1 and CBFβ are the most common targets of chromosomal rearrangements in leukemia. CBF has been implicated in other cancer types; for example RUNX1 and RUNX2 are implicated in cancers of epithelial origin, including prostate, breast, and ovarian cancers. In these tumors, CBF is involved in maintaining the malignant phenotype and, when highly over-expressed, contributes to metastatic growth in bone. Herein, lentiviral delivery of CBFβ-specific shRNAs was used to achieve a 95% reduction of CBFβ in an ovarian cancer cell line. This drastic reduction in CBFβ expression resulted in growth inhibition that was not associated with a cell cycle block or an increase in apoptosis. However, CBFβ silencing resulted in increased autophagy and production of reactive oxygen species (ROS). Since sphingolipid and ceramide metabolism regulates non-apoptotic cell death, autophagy, and ROS production, fumonsin B1 (FB1), an inhibitor of ceramide synthase, was used to alter ceramide production in the CBFβ-silenced cells. FB1 treatment inhibited the CBFβ-dependent increase in autophagy and provided a modest increase in cell survival. To document alterations to sphingolipids in the CBFβ-silenced cells, ceramide, and lactosylceramide levels were directly examined by mass spectrometry. Substantial increases in ceramide species and decreases in lactosylceramides were identified. Altogether, this report provides evidence that CBF transcriptional pathways control cellular survival, at least in part, through sphingolipid metabolism.

The role of single nucleotide polymorphisms in predicting prostate cancer risk and therapeutic decision making

Prostate cancer (PCa) is a major health care problem because of its high prevalence, health-related costs, and mortality. Epidemiological studies have suggested an important role of genetics in PCa development. Because of this, an increasing number of single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) had been suggested to be implicated in the development and progression of PCa. While individual SNPs are only moderately associated with PCa risk, in combination, they have a stronger, dose-dependent association, currently explaining 30% of PCa familial risk. This review aims to give a brief overview of studies in which the possible role of genetic variants was investigated in clinical settings. We will highlight the major research questions in the translation of SNP identification into clinical practice.

Genetic variations in TP53 binding sites are predictors of clinical outcomes in prostate cancer patients

Since the tumor protein p53 (TP53), a transcription factor, plays a crucial role in prostate cancer development and progression, we hypothesized that sequence variants in TP53 binding sites might affect clinical outcomes in patients with prostate cancer. We systematically evaluated 41 single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) within genome-wide predicted TP53 binding sites in a cohort of 1,024 prostate cancer patients. The associations of these SNPs with prostate cancer characteristics and clinical outcomes after radical prostatectomy for localized disease and after androgen-deprivation therapy (ADT) for advanced disease were assessed by Kaplan-Meier analysis and Cox regression model. ARAP2 rs1444377 and TRPS1 rs722740 were associated with advanced stage prostate cancer. FRK rs171866 remained as a significant predictor for disease progression; DAB2 rs268091 and EXOC4 rs1149558 remained as significant predictors for prostate cancer-specific mortality (PCSM); and EXOC4 rs1149558 remained as a significant predictor for all-cause mortality after ADT in multivariate models that included clinicopathologic predictors. In addition, the numbers of protective genotypes at DAB2 rs268091 and EXOC4 rs1149558 showed a cumulative effect on PCSM (P for trend = 0.002). Our results suggested that SNPs within TP53 binding sites might be valuable biomarkers for prostate cancer outcome prediction.

Impact of interleukin-10 gene polymorphisms on survival in patients with colorectal cancer

Chronic inflammation is thought to be the leading cause of colorectal cancer, and interleukin-10 (IL10) has been identified as a potent immunomodulatory cytokine that regulates inflammatory responses in the gastrointestinal tract. Although several single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in IL10 have been associated with the risk of colorectal cancer, their prognostic significance has not been determined. Two hundred and eighty-two colorectal cancer patients were genotyped for two candidate cancer-associated SNPs in IL10. The associations of these SNPs with distant metastasis-free survival and overall survival were evaluated by Kaplan-Meier analysis and Cox regression model. The minor homozygote GG genotype of IL10 rs3021094 was significantly associated with a 3.30-fold higher risk of death compared with the TT+TG genotypes (P=0.011). The patients with IL10 rs3021094 GG genotype also had a poorer overall survival in Kaplan-Meier analysis (log-rank P=0.007) and in multivariate Cox regression model (P=0.044) adjusting for age, gender, carcinoembryonic antigen levels, tumor differentiation, stage, lymphovascular invasion, and perineural invasion. In conclusion, our results suggest that IL10 rs3021094 might be a valuable prognostic biomarker for colorectal cancer patients.

New insights into the role of Runx1 in epithelial stem cell biology and pathology

The transcription factor Runx1 has been studied in leukemia and blood for decades, but recently it has been also implicated in epithelial biology and pathology. Particularly in mouse skin Runx1 modulates Wnt signaling levels thereby regulating timely induction of hair follicle specification, proper maturation of the emerging adult hair follicle stem cells in embryogenesis, and timely stem cell (SC) activation during adult homeostasis. Moreover, Runx1 acts as a tumor promoter in mouse skin squamous tumor formation and maintenance, likely by repressing p21 and promoting Stat3 activation. Similarly, Runx1 is essential for oral epithelium tumorigenesis mediated in mice by Ras, and for growth of three kinds of human epithelial cancer cells. In contrast, Runx1 has a tumor suppressor function in the mouse intestine and shows tumor subtype specific behavior in human breast cancer. Multiple studies revealed Runx1 SNPs to be associated with human cancers and autoimmune disease. With this information as background, the field is poised for functional and mechanistic studies to elucidate the role of Runx1 in formation and/or progression of epithelial-based human disease.

The RUNX family in breast cancer: relationships with estrogen signaling

The three RUNX family members are lineage specific master regulators, which also have important, context-dependent roles in carcinogenesis as either tumor suppressors or oncogenes. Here we review evidence for such roles in breast cancer (BCa). RUNX1, the predominant RUNX family member in breast epithelial cells, has a tumor suppressor role reflected by many somatic mutations found in primary tumor biopsies. The classical tumor suppressor gene RUNX3 does not consist of such a mutation hot spot, but it too seems to inhibit BCa; it is often inactivated in human BCa tumors and its haploinsufficiency in mice leads to spontaneous BCa development. The tumor suppressor activities of RUNX1 and RUNX3 are mediated in part by antagonism of estrogen signaling, a feature recently attributed to RUNX2 as well. Paradoxically, however RUNX2, a master osteoblast regulator, has been implicated in various aspects of metastasis in general and bone metastasis in particular. Reciprocating the anti-estrogenic tumor suppressor activity of RUNX proteins, inhibition of RUNX2 by estrogens may help explain their context-dependent anti-metastatic roles. Such roles are reserved to non-osseous metastasis, because ERα is associated with increased, not decreased skeletal dissemination of BCa cells. Finally, based on diverse expression patterns in BCa subtypes, the successful use of future RUNX-based therapies will most likely require careful patient selection.

Prognostic significance of cyclin D1 polymorphisms on prostate-specific antigen recurrence after radical prostatectomy

BACKGROUND

Cyclin D1 (CCND1) is an important cell-cycle regulator involved in carcinogenesis and progression of prostate cancer. We tested whether genetic variations within the CCND1 gene are related to clinical outcomes in prostate cancer patients receiving radical prostatectomy.

METHODS

A total of 320 clinical localized prostate cancer patients who underwent radical prostatectomy in Taiwan were prospectively follow-up in this study. A total of 5 tagged single-nucleotide polymorphisms that captured the genetic variability across the CCND1 gene were genotyped, and the prognostic significance on prostate-specific antigen (PSA) recurrence was assessed using the Kaplan-Meier analysis and Cox regression model.

RESULTS

We found a polymorphism, rs9344, and 2 haplotypes, GAGG and CTGG, consisting of rs667515, rs2450254, rs9344, and rs678653, were associated with PSA recurrence (P ≤ 0.033). After adjusting for other clinicopathologic predictors, including age, PSA levels, pathologic stage, Gleason score, and surgical margin, rs9344 and the haplotype CTGG remained significant (P ≤ 0.044). The model based on clinical variables plus CCND1 rs9344 or haplotype showed improvement over the model without genetic information, as indicated by ≥ 7.2 % net reclassification improvement (P ≤ 0.040), integrated discrimination index (P ≤ 0.041), and likelihood ratio test (P ≤ 0.028).

CONCLUSION

Our data suggest that the CCND1 rs9344 and a specific haplotype CTGG may be prognostic factors for PSA recurrence after radical prostatectomy.

Genetic polymorphisms of matrix metalloproteinases and clinical outcomes in colorectal cancer patients

BACKGROUND

Colorectal cancer metastasis is a multistep process involving degradation of extracellular matrix components by proteolytic enzymes. Among them, matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) are the principal degrading enzymes and their expressions/activities are also correlated with survival. Much research has showed the associations between genetic polymorphisms in MMPs and risk of colorectal cancer; however, their prognostic significance has not been well determined.

METHODS

We selected and genotyped 4 cancer-associated single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in a cohort of 282 colorectal cancer patients. The associations of these SNPs with distant metastasis-free survival and overall survival were evaluated by Kaplan-Meier analysis, Cox regression model, and survival tree analysis.

RESULTS

The relative risks of developing distant metastasis after curative surgery were higher in individuals with minor homozygote AA genotype than in those with GG/GA genotypes at MMP2 rs243866 (P = 0.012). Survival tree analysis also identified a higher-order genetic interaction profile consisting of MMP2 rs243866 and MMP2 rs2285053 that was significantly associated with distant metastasis-free survival (P trend = 0.016). After adjusting for possible confounders, the genetic interaction profile remained significant (P trend = 0.050).

CONCLUSIONS

These results suggest that genetic variations in the MMP2 might be potential predictors of distant metastasis-free survival after curative surgery.

Defining a tissue stem cell-driven Runx1/Stat3 signalling axis in epithelial cancer

Cancers and tissue stem cells (SCs) share similar molecular pathways for their self-renewal and differentiation. The race is on to identify unique pathways to specifically target the cancer, while sparing normal SCs. Here, we uncover the transcription factor Runx1/AML1, a known haematopoietic and leukaemia factor, albeit dispensable for normal adult SC homeostasis, as being important for some mouse and human epithelial cancers. We implicate Runx1 as a SC-intrinsic gene in mouse hair follicle and oral epithelia by genetic lineage tracing in adulthood. Runx1-expressing SCs, but not other cells that ectopically upregulate Runx1 by injury and inflammation, are at the skin tumour origin. Runx1 loss impairs tumour initiation and maintenance and the growth of oral, skin, and ovarian epithelial human cancer cells. Runx1 stimulates Stat3 signalling via direct transcriptional repression of SOCS3 and SOCS4 and this is essential for cancer cell growth. Thus, Runx1 is a broader epithelial SC and cancer factor than previously recognized, and qualifies as an attractive potential target for both prevention and therapy of several epithelial cancers.