Functional analysis of transcriptional activity of cytosine and adenine (CA) repeats polymorphism in the estrogen receptor beta gene

Genome-wide characterization of microsatellites in cobia Rachycentron canadum (Linnaeus, 1766): Survey and analysis of their abundance and diversity

The cobia Rachycentron canadum, mainly distributed in the warm waters of tropical and subtropical regions around the world, remains a fish of considerable economic importance. Detailed diversity and the number of microsatellite sequences in the cobia genome are still unintelligible. The primary aim of this work was to identify and quantify the miscellaneous SSR sequences in the cobia genome. More than 280,000 sequences were sequenced and screened using next-generation sequencing technology and microsatellite identification. Perfect mononucleotide repeats, dinucleotide microsatellites, and trinucleotide microsatellites contain (A)10 /(T)10 , (AC)6 /(TG)6 , and (AAT)5-32 as the largest number of motifs in each type of microsatellite, respectively. The tetranucleotide and pentanucleotide microsatellites (TTM and PTM) consist of the largest number of motifs of both (ATCT)5-32 and (TCAT)5-31 in TTMs, and (CTCTC)5-9 in PTMs, whereas the hexanucleotide microsatellites are rarely observed in the cobia genome. All c. 38000 sequences of composite microsatellites are extremely diverse, including compound (11.71%), interrupted compound (71.77%), complex (0.45%), and interrupted complex (16.07%). In this study, we developed a convenient and useful recording system for writing down and categorizing diverse composite microsatellite types. This system will provide great support for exploring repeat origins, evolutionary mechanisms, and the application of polymorphic microsatellites.

Safety of gender affirming treatment in assigned female at birth transgender people and association of androgen and estrogen β receptor polymorphisms with clinical outcomes

PURPOSE

Gender affirming hormone treatment (GAHT) with androgens in assigned female at birth (AFAB) people with Gender Incongruence (GI) can induce and maintain variable phenotypical changes, but individual response may be genetically determined. To clarify the role of AR and ERβ polymorphisms we prospectively evaluated AFAB subjects undergoing virilizing GAHT.

METHODS

Fifty-two AFAB people with confirmed GI were evaluated before (T0) and after 6 (T6) and 12 months (T12) of testosterone enanthate 250 mg i.m. every 28 days. Hormone profile (testosterone, estradiol), biochemical (blood count, glyco-metabolic profile) and clinical parameters (Ferriman-Gallwey score, pelvic organs) were evaluated at each time-point, as well as number of CAG and CA repeats for AR and ERβ, respectively.

RESULTS

All subjects have successfully achieved testosterone levels within normal male ranges and improved their degree of virilization, in absence of significant side effects. Hemoglobin, hematocrit and red blood cells were significantly increased after treatment, but within normal ranges. Ultrasound monitoring of pelvic organs showed their significant reduction already after 6 months of GATH, in absence of remarkable abnormalities. Furthermore, a lower number of CAG repeats was associated with a higher Ferriman-Gallwey score post treatment and a higher number of CA repeats was associated with uterine volume reduction.

CONCLUSION

We confirmed safety and efficacy of testosterone treatment on all measured parameters. This preliminary data hints a future role of genetic polymorphisms to tailor GAHT in GI people, but evaluation on a larger cohort is necessary as the reduced sample size could limit data generalization at this stage.

Repeat polymorphisms in ESR2 and AR and colorectal cancer risk and prognosis: results from a German population-based case-control study

Background

Evidence has accumulated which suggests that sex steroids influence colorectal cancer development and progression. We therefore assessed the association of repeat polymorphisms in the estrogen receptor β gene (ESR2) and the androgen receptor gene (AR) with colorectal cancer risk and prognosis.

Methods

The ESR2 CA and AR CAG repeat polymorphisms were genotyped in 1798 cases (746 female, 1052 male) and 1810 controls (732 female, 1078 male), matched for sex, age and county of residence. Colorectal cancer risk associations overall and specific for gender were evaluated using multivariate logistic regression models adjusted for sex, county of residence and age. Associations with overall and disease-specific survival were evaluated using Cox proportional hazard models adjusted for established prognostic factors (diagnosis of other cancer after colorectal cancer diagnosis, detection by screening, treatment with adjuvant chemotherapy, tumour extent, nodal status, distant metastasis, body mass index, age at diagnosis and year of diagnosis) and stratified for grade of differentiation. Heterogeneity in gender specific associations was assessed by comparing models with and without a multiplicative interaction term by means of a likelihood ratio test.

Results

The average number of ESR2 CA repeats was associated with a small 5% increase in colorectal cancer risk (OR = 1.05, 95% CI 1.01-1.10) without significant heterogeneity according to gender or tumoural ESR2 expression. We found no indication for an association between the AR CAG repeat polymorphisms and risk of colorectal cancer. The ESR2 CA and AR CAG repeat polymorphisms were not associated with overall survival or disease specific survival after colorectal cancer diagnosis.

Conclusions

Higher numbers of ESR2 CA repeats are potentially associated with a small increase in colorectal cancer risk. Our study does not support an association between colorectal cancer prognosis and the investigated repeat polymorphisms.

Electronic supplementary material

The online version of this article (doi:10.1186/1471-2407-14-817) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

Association between estrogen receptor-β dinucleotide repeat polymorphism and incidence of femoral fracture

Estrogens are thought to play an important role in bone metabolism through estrogen receptors (ER). Dinucleotide (cytosine-adenine, CA) repeat polymorphism in the human ER-β gene (ESR2) has been reported to be associated with bone mineral density. We aimed to further elucidate the importance of this polymorphism in the pathogenesis of osteoporosis by examining its association with the incidence of femoral fracture. Deoxyribonucleic acids extracted from the renal cortex of 1489 consecutive Japanese autopsies (799 male, mean age 79 years, 690 female, mean age 82 years) with complete clinical/pathological data were enrolled in the study. ESR2 CA repeat polymorphism was determined by polymerase chain reaction using fluorescein-labeled primers. The presence or absence of femoral fracture during each subject's lifetime was determined by thorough examination of the clinical record. Incidence of femoral fracture in subjects bearing at least one allele of 20 CA repeats (4/132, 3.0 %) was significantly lower than in those without this allele (127/1357, 9.4 %, P = 0.0098). After adjustments for age and sex, logistic regression analysis revealed that having no allele of 20 CA repeats was an independent risk factor of femoral fracture [adjusted odds ratio (OR) 3.875, 95 % confidence interval (CI) 1.392-10.788, P = 0.0095], which was emphasized among women (adjusted OR 6.360, 95 % CI 1.520-26.618, P = 0.0133). Japanese subjects, especially women, bearing at least one allele of 20 CA repeats in the ESR2 may have a lower risk of femoral fracture than those without it, suggesting this polymorphism plays a role in bone metabolism.

Polymorphisms in ESR1, ESR2 and HSD17B1 genes are associated with fertility status in endometriosis

OBJECTIVE

To investigate whether polymorphisms in genes involved in biosynthesis and signalling of sex steroids influence susceptibility to endometriosis and to infertility associated with it.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Patients with endometriosis (n = 150) and fertile controls (n = 199) were genotyped for polymorphisms in oestrogen receptor genes ESR1 (rs2234693 - T/C single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP), dinucleotide (TA)(n) repeat) and ESR2 (dinucleotide (CA)(n) repeat), progesterone receptor gene PGR (rs10895068 - G/A SNP, 306-bp Alu-insertion), 17β-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase type 1 gene HSD17B1 (rs605059 - A/G SNP), and aromatase gene CYP19A1 (rs10046 - C/T SNP, (TTTA)(n) tetranucleotide repeat, 3-bp TCT insertion/deletion polymorphism).

RESULTS

The HSD17B1 A/G SNP A allele increased overall endometriosis risk and the risk of stage I-II disease, while ESR1 longer (TA)(n) repeats only correlated with susceptibility to stage I-II endometriosis. When considering patients' fertility status, HSD17B1 A/G SNP A allele and ESR1 longer (TA)(n) repeats were associated with endometriosis accompanied by infertility, while ESR2 shorter (CA)(n) repeats were linked with endometriosis without infertility. Other polymorphisms were distributed similarly among patients and controls.

CONCLUSIONS

Genetic variants in ESR1, ESR2, and HSD17B1 genes could modify susceptibility to endometriosis and might influence the fertility status in endometriosis patients.

Gender-specific genomic profiling in metastatic colorectal cancer patients treated with 5-fluorouracil and oxaliplatin

AIMS

Survival and response rates in metastatic colorectal cancer remain poor, despite advances in drug development. There is increasing evidence to suggest that gender-specific differences may contribute to poor clinical outcome. We tested the hypothesis that genomic profiling of metastatic colorectal cancer is dependent on gender.

MATERIALS & METHODS

A total of 152 patients with metastatic colorectal cancer who were treated with oxaliplatin and continuous infusion 5-fluorouracil were genotyped for 21 polymorphisms in 13 cancer-related genes by PCR. Classification and regression tree analysis tested for gender-related association of polymorphisms with overall survival, progression-free survival and tumor response.

RESULTS

Classification and regression tree analysis of all polymorphisms, age and race resulted in gender-specific predictors of overall survival, progression-free survival and tumor response. Polymorphisms in the following genes were associated with gender-specific clinical outcome: estrogen receptor β, EGF receptor, xeroderma pigmentosum group D, voltage-gated sodium channel and phospholipase A2.

CONCLUSION

Genetic profiling to predict the clinical outcome of patients with metastatic colorectal cancer may depend on gender.

A GA microsatellite in the Fli1 promoter modulates gene expression and is associated with systemic lupus erythematosus patients without nephritis

INTRODUCTION

The transcription factor Fli1 is implicated in the pathogenesis of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). Recently, a GA(n) polymorphic microsatellite was characterized in the mouse Fli1 promoter that modulates promoter activity and is truncated in two lupus mouse models compared to non-autoimmune prone mice. In this work, we characterize a homologous GA(n) microsatellite in the human Fli1 promoter. The purpose of this study is to determine the effect of the microsatellite length on Fli1 promoter activity in vitro and to determine if the length of the GA(n) microsatellite is associated with SLE and/or specific disease characteristics.

METHODS

Constructs with variable lengths of the GA(n) microsatellite in the Fli1 promoter were generated and analyzed in promoter/reporter (P/R) assays in a human T cell line. Using three SLE patient cohorts and matched controls, microsatellite length was measured and association with the presence of disease and the occurrence of specific disease manifestations was assessed.

RESULTS

P/R assays demonstrated that the presence of a shorter microsatellite resulted in higher Fli1 promoter activity. A significant association was observed in the lupus cohort SLE in Gullah Health (SLEIGH) between the GA(26) base pair allele and absence of nephritis.

CONCLUSIONS

This study demonstrates that a GA(n) microsatellite in the human Fli1 promoter is highly polymorphic. The length of the microsatellite is inversely correlated to Fli1 promoter activity in a human T cell line. Although no association between microsatellite length and lupus was observed, an association between a specific microsatellite length and patients without nephritis in the SLEIGH cohort was observed.

Gender-related survival differences associated with polymorphic variants of estrogen receptor-β (ERβ) in patients with metastatic colon cancer

Estrogen replacement therapy in women has demonstrated a protective effect in the development of colonic carcinomas. Gender-related differences in the development of colonic carcinomas have also been reported. Estrogen receptor beta (ERβ) is expressed in colon carcinomas and has demonstrated prognostic value in colon cancer patients. This study investigated an ERβ 3’ non-coding polymorphism associated with transcriptional activity to determine clinical outcome in patients with metastatic colon cancer. Genomic DNA from 318 metastatic colon cancer patients, 177 males and 141 females, were collected from 1992 to 2003. These patients were analyzed for CA repeat polymorphism of the ERβ gene. Gender-related survival differences were associated with an ERβ (CA)_n repeat polymorphism (P for interaction=0.003, the likelihood ratio test). Female patients with any short <22 (CA)_n repeat alleles had shorter overall survival compared to female patients that had both long ≥22 (CA)_n repeat alleles. In the male patients the opposite overall survival difference was found. This study supports the role of an ERβ (CA)_n repeat polymorphism as a prognostic marker in metastatic colon cancer; however, this prognostic factor had opposite implications based on gender.