E-cadherin gene 3'-UTR C/T polymorphism is associated with prostate cancer

Effect of miR-200c on proliferation, invasion and apoptosis of prostate cancer LNCaP cells

Effect of miRNA-200c (miR-200c) on the proliferation, invasion and apoptosis of prostate cancer cell line LNCaP was investigated. The difference in miR-200c expression was observed using RT-qPCR in the NC group (transfected empty plasmid), simulation group (simulation sequence) and inhibition group (transferred inhibition sequence), which were established by transfecting LNCaP cells with a kit. The proliferation, invasion and apoptosis of cells after transfection were detected using the cell counting kit-8 (CCK-8) method, Transwell chamber and flow cytometry. RT-qPCR detection showed that the relative expression of miR-200c in LNCaP cells significantly increased compared with RWPE-1 cells (P<0.05). The difference was statistically significant in the relative expression of miR-200c cells among NC group, simulation group and inhibition group after transfection (P<0.05) and they significantly decreased in NC group of cells compared with the simulation group (P<0.05). CCK-8 detection showed that there were differences at the 2nd, 3rd, 4th and 5th days of growth in the NC group, simulation group and inhibition group of cells (P<0.05) and there was a difference in the proliferation ability between NC group and simulation group (P<0.05). Transwell chamber detection showed that there was a difference in the invasion ability among NC group, simulation group and inhibition group of cells (P<0.05), among which the number of passed membrane cells in inhibition group was significantly smaller than that in NC group and simulation group (P<0.05), and the difference was not statistically significant between NC group and simulation group (P>0.05). Flow cytometry detection of the apoptosis ability of each group of cells showed that there was a difference in the apoptotic rate in the NC, simulation and inhibition groups (P<0.05). The low expression of miR-200c is beneficial to inhibit the proliferation and invasion of LNCaP cells in vitro and to promote apoptosis, which may be a potential target for prostate cancer biotherapy.

E-cadherin gene 3'-UTR C/T polymorphism in Turkish patients with nephrolithiasis

Nephrolithiasis is a complex disease and many gene polymorphisms have been associated with stone formation. In this study we aimed to investigate another possible relationship between E-cadherin gene (CHD1) 3'-UTR C/T polymorphism and calcium oxalate nephrolithiasis in the Turkish population. Study population was composed of 143 patients with nephrolithiasis and 158 control subjects. CHD1 3'-UTR C/T polymorphism was analysed using polymerase chain reaction (PCR)-restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP) technique. Genotype distribution of the investigated polymorphism was not deviated from Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium (HWE) in patients and control subjects (P > 0.05). C allele frequency was 85.7 and 85.1% in patients and controls, respectively (P = 0.836). Genotype distributions of the CHD1 3'-UTR C/T polymorphism among patients were also not significantly different from those among control subjects (P = 0.636). Our results showed that there is no association between the CHD1 gene 3'-UTR C/T polymorphism and nephrolithiasis in our population.

The BRCA1 3'-UTR: 5711+421T/T_5711+1286T/T genotype is a possible breast and ovarian cancer risk factor

BACKGROUND

A significant proportion of familial and early-onset breast and ovarian cancers occur in individuals without coding mutations of BRCA1 and BRCA2.

AIMS

We identified genetic variation at 3'-untranslated region (UTR) of BRCA1 in familial and early-onset breast and ovarian cancer patients both with and without BRCA1/2 mutation in the coding regions (BRCA1/2 pos and BRCA1/2 neg), and verified the possible cancer risk factor of the specific 3'-UTR variation using functional analysis.

METHODS

BRCA1 SNP analysis was screened in 46 patients and 103 unaffected Thais by heteroduplex analysis and DNA sequencing. After chi-square test for the potential cancer association of the specific 3'-UTR genotypes, the functional tests were conducted using several strategies of the luciferase gene expression model.

RESULTS

We document the existence of two 3'-UTR polymorphic sites, the 5711+421(G or T) and the 5711+1286(C or T). Frequency of homozygous genotype 5711+421T/T_5711+1286T/T (or T/T-T/T) in the group of BRCA1/2 neg cancer patients was triple of that seen in unaffected persons and showed a significant cancer association (p = 0.007). Functional analysis of these polymorphic sites using luciferase experiments showed an obvious significant reduction in activity associated with the T allele at both sites.

CONCLUSION

These results suggest that the inheritance of specific 3'-UTR polymorphisms may predispose individuals to early-onset or familial breast or ovarian cancer.

E-cadherin gene polymorphisms and haplotype associated with the occurrence of epithelial ovarian cancer in Chinese

BACKGROUNDS AND AIMS

E-cadherin plays an important role in the origin of epithelial ovarian cancer. However, the exact molecular mechanism by which this occurs is unknown. The polymorphisms located at the E-cadherin may contribute to an increased risk for certain cancers. In this paper, we studied the association between polymorphisms of E-cadherin and the risk of epithelial ovarian cancer.

METHODS

We assessed the -160C/A, -347G/GA polymorphism within the promoter region and 3'-UTR +54C/T polymorphism of E-cadherin in epithelial ovarian cancer and control women. We also tested the expression of E-cadherin protein in ovarian cancer tissue among three genotype (3'-UTR +54C/T polymorphism) carriers.

RESULTS

There was no significant difference in genotype distribution of the -160C/A and -347G/GA SNPs in the E-cadherin gene promoter region between ovarian cancer patients and controls, but haplotype -160A/-347GA relative to haplotype -160C/-347G was 48.6 (95% CI=2.9-806.2) for epithelial ovarian cancer risk. The C/C genotype of the 3'-UTR +54C/T polymorphism relative to the C/T+T/T genotype was 1.85 (95% CI=1.27-2.69) for epithelial ovarian cancer risk. E-cadherin protein expression in was lower in C/C genotype carriers than T allele carriers in ovarian cancer tissue (P=0.02).

CONCLUSIONS

The C/C genotype of 3'-UTR C/T SNP and -160C/-374GA haplotype in E-cadherin gene may be a potential susceptibility factor for risk of epithelial ovarian cancer in Chinese, which indicated that the lower expression of E-cadherin might play an important role in the pathogenesis of epithelial ovarian cancer.

Prognostic value of morphologic and clinical parameters in pT2 - pT3 prostate cancer

OBJECTIVES

Verify the efficacy of clinical and morphologic parameters currently applied, including an immunohistochemical panel, in the prognostic of prostate cancer, in specific stages of the disease.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

In the period from 2002 to 2005, 40 surgical specimens were selected from patients submitted to radical prostatectomy, with their respective diagnostic biopsies. Based on the pathological stage pT2 or pT3, the specimens were separated into two groups, each one with 20 specimens. The results were confronted with pre- and postoperative clinical data. Between the groups studied, the following was also analyzed: the profile of the expression of molecular markers such as PSA, E-caderin, chromogranin-A, synaptofisin, P53 and Ki-67, both in the material coming from the prostatic biopsy and from the surgical specimens of all patients.

RESULTS

Data showed that patients with prostate-confined disease (pT2) presented lower PSA and Gleason score rates, in relation to the group with extra-prostatic disease (pT3). Quantitative measures obtained for the percentage of positive fragments from the biopsy revealed that patients from the pT2 group presented a lower mean percentage when compared to the pT3 group. Positive margins of both groups influenced the need for complementary treatment before biochemical progression. The comparison of the molecular marker expression in both stages was not significantly different.

CONCLUSION

It is evident the need to improve new methods, predominantly morphologic and molecular, that are able to further exploit the study of the material from the prostatic biopsy. As to the profile of the molecular markers used in both studied groups, there was no significant difference in the sense of outlining an additional prognostic factor in the clinical practice.

DNA variation in MSR1, RNASEL and E-cadherin genes and prostate cancer in Poland

INTRODUCTION

We investigated whether or not inherited variation in MSR1, RNASEL and E-cadherin contribute to prostate cancer risk in Poland.

MATERIAL AND METHODS

We sequenced the coding region of these three genes in individuals from Poland and identified five common DNA variants (R462Q and D541E in RNASEL, R293X and P275A in MSR1, and 2076C>T (A692A) in E-cadherin). These five variants and the -160C>A promoter change in E-cadherin were genotyped in 737 prostate cancer cases and 511 controls.

RESULTS

The frequencies of genotyped variants in MSR1, RNASEL and E-cadherin genes in cases and controls were similar. We did not see any association for the studied variants when cases were stratified by age of diagnosis, by family history, by prostate-specific antigen level at the time of diagnosis, by Gleason sore or by tumor stage.

CONCLUSIONS

Inherited variation in RNASEL, MSR1 and E-cadherin genes do not seem to contribute to prostate cancer development in Poland.

Molecular markers in the diagnosis of prostate cancer

The genetic alterations leading to prostate cancer are gradually being discovered. A wide variety of genes have been associated with prostate cancer development as well as tumor progression. Knowledge of gene polymorphisms associated with disease aid in the understanding of important pathways involved in this process and may result in the near future in clinical applications. Urinary molecular markers will soon be available to aid in the decision of repeat prostate biopsies. Recent findings suggest the importance of androgen signaling in disease development and progression. The further understanding of interaction of inflammation, diet, and genetic predisposition will improve risk stratification in the near future.

A systematic analysis of disease-associated variants in the 3' regulatory regions of human protein-coding genes II: the importance of mRNA secondary structure in assessing the functionality of 3' UTR variants

In an attempt both to catalogue 3' regulatory region (3' RR)-mediated disease and to improve our understanding of the structure and function of the 3' RR, we have performed a systematic analysis of disease-associated variants in the 3' RRs of human protein-coding genes. We have previously analysed the variants that have occurred in two specific domains/motifs of the 3' untranslated region (3' UTR) as well as in the 3' flanking region. Here we have focused upon 83 known variants within the upstream sequence (USS; between the translational termination codon and the upstream core polyadenylation signal sequence) of the 3' UTR. To place these variants in their proper context, we first performed a comprehensive survey of known cis-regulatory elements within the USS and the mechanisms by which they effect post-transcriptional gene regulation. Although this survey supports the view that RNA regulatory elements function within the context of specific secondary structures, there are no general rules governing how secondary structure might exert its influence. We have therefore addressed this question by systematically evaluating both functional and non-functional (based upon in vitro reporter gene and/or electrophoretic mobility shift assay data) USS variant-containing sequences against known cis-regulatory motifs within the context of predicted RNA secondary structures. This has allowed us not only to establish a reliable and objective means to perform secondary structure prediction but also to identify consistent patterns of secondary structural change that could potentiate the discrimination of functional USS variants from their non-functional counterparts. The resulting rules were then used to infer potential functionality in the case of some of the remaining functionally uncharacterized USS variants, from their predicted secondary structures. This not only led us to identify further patterns of secondary structural change but also several potential novel cis-regulatory motifs within the 3' UTRs studied.