High-throughput screening and clinical importance of autophagy-associated genes in basal cell carcinoma

Autophagy is a type II programmed cell death mechanism that plays a critical role in preserving cellular homeostasis through the regulation of protein, lipid, and organelle quality control. It has become gradually evident that autophagy plays a fundamental role in the initiation and progression of various types of human cancers. Nevertheless, its significance in non-melanoma skin cancers, particularly in basal cell carcinoma, has not been well documented and remains largely elusive. In this study, we aimed to illuminate the role of autophagy-associated signaling signatures during development and progression of basal cell carcinoma. For the study, a total of 72 autophagy-related genes were screened using a high-throughput qPCR approach integrating Fluidigm 96.96 Dynamic Array™ integrated fluidic circuits (IFC) and BioMark™ HD Real-Time PCR system, which enabled efficient and precise analysis of gene expression patterns. Results were analyzed using Fluidigm's Real-Time PCR Analysis software and 2-ΔΔCt formula was used for the calculation of expression changes. Notably, expression levels of INS, TMEM74 and IFNA2 genes were identified to be prominently altered in BCC comparted to adjacent healthy tissues. However, only IFNA2 expression showed statistically significant change in BCC. Consequently, these findings suggest that IFNA2 might play significant role in the regulation of autophagy in BCC development and progression and can be therapeutically targeted.

UV radiation resistance-associated gene (UVRAG) promotes cell proliferation, migration, invasion by regulating cyclin-dependent kinases (CDK) and integrin-β/Src signaling in breast cancer cells

Breast cancer is a highly heterogeneous group of human cancer with distinct genetic, biological and clinicopathological features. Triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) is the most aggressive and metastatic type of breast cancer and associated with poor patient survival. However, the role of UV Radiation Resistance-Associated Gene (UVRAG) in TNBC remains unknown. Here, we report that UVRAG is highly upregulated in all TNBC cells and its knockdown leads to the inhibition of cell proliferation, colony formation and progression of cell cycle, which is associated with and reduced expression of cell cycle related protein expression, including Cyclin A2, B1, D1, cdc2 and cdk6 in TNBC cells. Inhibition of UVRAG also suppressed cell motility, migration and invasion of TNBC cells by inhibition of Integrin β1 and β3 and Src activity. Our findings suggest for the first time that UVRAG expression contributes to proliferation, cell cycle progression, motility/migration and invasion of TNBC cells. Thus, targeting UVRAG could be a potential strategy in breast cancer especially against TNBC.

Comparing the effects of fluticasone, anti-IgE and anti-TNF treatments in a chronic asthma model

BACKGROUND

Corticosteroids are used in the treatment of asthma. The aim of this study was to determine the efficacy of anti-IgE and anti-TNF alpha as asthma treatments.

METHODS

A mouse model of chronic asthma was developed. The fluticasone group was exposed to fluticasone and the anti-IgE and anti-TNF groups were administered anti-IgE or anti-TNF. IL-4, and IgE levels were measured, and histological analysis, pathological analysis and miRNA-126, miRNA-133a analyses were applied.

RESULTS

The cell concentration in the BAL fluid decreased in all the treatment groups. The rate of perivascular and peribronchial cell infiltration decreased in the lung in the high-dose anti-IgE and anti-TNF groups. Smooth muscle thickness decreased in the lung tissue in the low-dose anti-IgE and anti-TNF groups. Bronchial wall thickness decreased in the lung tissue in the fluticasone+anti-IgE group. The IL-4 level in BAL fluid decreased in the high-dose anti-IgE, fluticasone+anti-IgE and anti-TNF groups. IgE levels increased in the BAL fluid in the high-dose anti-IgE and anti-TNF groups. The lymphocyte level increased in the BAL fluid in the high-dose anti-IgE group. The macrophage level decreased in the BAL fluid in the anti-TNF group. The relative expression of miRNA-126 increased in all groups. The relative expression of miRNA-133a decreased in the placebo and fluticasone groups. The relative expression of miRNA-133a increased in the low-dose anti-IgE, high-dose anti-IgE, fluticasone+anti-IgE and anti-TNF groups.

CONCLUSIONS

The results showed that anti-IgE is successful as a treatment. Fluticasone+anti-IgE and anti-TNF were seen to be superior to other therapeutic modalities when used for prophylaxis.

MicroRNA 603 acts as a tumor suppressor and inhibits triple-negative breast cancer tumorigenesis by targeting elongation factor 2 kinase

Triple negative breast cancer (TNBC) is an aggressive type of breast cancer characterized by the absence of defined molecular targets, including estrogen receptor (ER), progesterone receptor (PR), human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2) and is associated with high rates of relapse and distant metastasis despite surgery and adjuvant chemotherapy. The lack of effective targeted therapies for TNBC represents an unmet therapeutic challenge. Eukaryotic elongation factor 2 kinase (eEF2K) is an atypical calcium/calmodulin-dependent serine/threonine kinase that promotes TNBC tumorigenesis, progression, and drug resistance, representing a potential novel molecular target. However, the mechanisms regulating eEF2K expression are unknown. Here, we report that eEF2K protein expression is highly up-regulated in TNBC cells and patient tumors and it is associated with poor patient survival and clinical outcome. We found that loss/reduced expression of miR-603 leads to eEF2K overexpression in TNBC cell lines. Its expression results in inhibition of eEF2K by directly targeting the 3-UTR and the inhibition of tumor cell growth, migration and invasion in TNBC. In vivo therapeutic gene delivery of miR-603 into TNBC xenograft mouse models by systemic administration of miR-603-nanoparticles led to a significant inhibition of eEF2K expression and tumor growth, which was associated with decreased activity of the downstream targets of eEF2K, including Src, Akt, cyclin D1 and c-myc. Our findings suggest that miR-603 functions as a tumor suppressor and loss of miR-603 expression leads to increase in eEF2K expression and contributes to the growth, invasion, and progression of TNBC. Taken together, our data suggest that miR-603-based gene therapy is a potential strategy against TNBC.

Polymorphisms in the MTHFR gene are associated with recurrence risk in lymph node-positive breast cancer patients

Purpose

The aim of this study is to clarify the relationship between recurrence risk of breast cancer and methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase (MTHFR) C677T polymorphisms.

Patients and methods

Breast cancer patients who had undergone surgery in Gaziantep University Oncology Hospital between June 2005 and June 2012 were followed-up and retrospectively enrolled in this study. Blood samples were collected from all patients to assess MTHFR C677T polymorphisms. Stage according to tumor–node–metastasis system, estrogen receptor, progesterone receptor, human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 status, grade of disease, menopausal status, and administered chemotherapy or hormonal therapy were recorded. Effects of these parameters on recurrence risk were evaluated using univariate analysis and multivariate binary logistic regression model.

Results

Association of MTHFR C677T polymorphisms with recurrence risk was evaluated in 298 patients whose median age was 47 years (range: 21–79 years). In all patients, age (odds ratio [OR] =0.953, P=0.005) and N3 lymph node status (OR =6.293, P=0.001) were found to affect the recurrence risk. While MTHFR homozygote genotype did not have an effect on recurrence risk in all patients, increased risk was observed in lymph node-positive subgroup (OR =4.271; 95% CI 1.515–12.023; P=0.006). Adjusting for age, tumor size (T), and node status (N), MTHFR homozygote genotype had more statistically significant risk for recurrence (OR =3.255; 95% CI 1.047–10.125; P=0.041).

Conclusion

MTHFR TT genotype was found to be associated with increased recurrence risk in patients with lymph node-positive breast cancer.

Polymorphism of CYP3A4 and ABCB1 genes increase the risk of neuropathy in breast cancer patients treated with paclitaxel and docetaxel

BACKGROUND

Interindividual variability of pharmacogenetics may account for unpredictable neurotoxicities of taxanes.

METHODS

From March 2011 to June 2015, female patients with operable breast cancer who had received docetaxel- or paclitaxel-containing adjuvant chemotherapy were included in this study. All patients were treated with single-agent paclitaxel intravenously (IV) 175 mg/m(2) every 3 weeks for four cycles, or IV 80 mg/m(2) weekly for 12 cycles, and IV 100 mg/m(2) docetaxel for four cycles as adjuvant treatment. We evaluated the relationship between neurotoxicity of taxanes and single-nucleotide polymorphisms of ABCB1, CYP3A4, ERCC1, ERCC2, FGFR4, TP53, ERBB2, and CYP2C8 genes. Taxane-induced neurotoxicity during the treatment was evaluated according to the National Cancer Institute Common Toxicity Criteria version 4.03 prior to each cycle. Chi-squared tests were used to compare the two groups, and multivariate binary logistic regression models were used for determining possible risk factors of neuropathy.

RESULTS

Pharmacogenetic analysis was performed in 219 females. ABCB1 3435 TT genotype had significantly higher risk for grade ≥2 neurotoxicity (odds ratio [OR]: 2.759, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.172-6.493, P: 0.017) compared to TC and CC genotype, and also CYP3A4 392 AA and AG genotype had significantly higher risk for grade ≥2 neurotoxicity (OR: 2.259, 95% CI: 1.033-4.941, P: 0.038) compared to GG genotype. For FDGF4 gene with AG and GG genotype, OR was 1.879 (95% CI: 1.001-3.525, P: 0.048) compared to AA genotype with regard to any grade of neuropathy risk. We could not find any other association of other genotypes with neurotoxicity grades.

CONCLUSION

ABCB1 3435 TT genotype and CYP3A4 392 AA/AG genotypes may be used as predictors of neurotoxicity during taxane chemotherapy.

Gene expression profiles of autophagy-related genes in multiple sclerosis

Multiple sclerosis (MS) is an imflammatory disease of central nervous system caused by genetic and environmental factors that remain largely unknown. Autophagy is the process of degradation and recycling of damaged cytoplasmic organelles, macromolecular aggregates, and long-lived proteins. Malfunction of autophagy contributes to the pathogenesis of neurological diseases, and autophagy genes may modulate the T cell survival. We aimed to examine the expression levels of autophagy-related genes. The blood samples of 95 unrelated patients (aged 17-65years, 37 male, 58 female) diagnosed as MS and 95 healthy controls were used to extract the RNA samples. After conversion to single stranded cDNA using polyT priming: the targeted genes were pre-amplified, and 96×78 (samples×primers) qRT-PCR reactions were performed for each primer pair on each sample on a 96.96 array of Fluidigm BioMark™. Compared to age- and sex-matched controls, gene expression levels of ATG16L2, ATG9A, BCL2, FAS, GAA, HGS, PIK3R1, RAB24, RGS19, ULK1, FOXO1, HTT were significantly altered (false discovery rate<0.05). Thus, altered expression levels of several autophagy related genes may affect protein levels, which in turn would influence the activity of autophagy, or most probably, those genes might be acting independent of autophagy and contributing to MS pathogenesis as risk factors. The indeterminate genetic causes leading to alterations in gene expressions require further analysis.

Ultrasonographic evaluation of Achilles tendon in children with flatfoot: A case-control morphometric study

PURPOSE

The purpose of this study was to investigate whether any relationships exist between the presence of flatfoot and ultrasonographic morphometric findings of Achilles tendon in children.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

The study included 30 pediatric patients with a mean age of 11.96±2.44 (SD) years (range: 9-16 years) with flexible flatfoot and 29 healthy pediatric controls who were matched for age and served as a control group. Demographic data of both groups such as age, height and weight, and anthropometric measurements including leg length and, length and cross-sectional area of the Achilles tendon on ultrasonography were tabulated. Relationships between the cross-sectional area of Achilles tendon and flatfoot and the other parameters were searched for using backward multiple regression analysis.

RESULTS

No associations between flatfoot and length and cross-sectional area of the Achilles tendon, age, height, leg and foot length were found. A negative correlation was found between the cross-sectional area of Achilles tendon and presence of flatfoot (Beta=-4.93, P=0.01) and age (Beta=-1.96, P=0.04). A positive correlation was found between the cross-sectional area of Achilles tendon and shoe size (Beta=2.13, P=0.007).

CONCLUSIONS

Flatfoot, shoe size, age and weight must be kept in mind as a clue for a thinner Achilles tendon morphometry which can be a risk factor in lower limb pathologies.

Abstract P6-08-08: Expression and role of ING3 gene in breast cancer

Background: Inhibitor of growth (ING) tumor suppressor gene family has been discovered over the past decade and five different genes have been identified from ING1 to ING5. They have some functions like cell transcription regulation, cell cycle control, DNA repair and apoptosis. Because of the fact that ING3 gene expression has not been studied in breast cancer so far, we aimed to determine whether there was a relationship between ING3 gene expression and breast cancer prognostic factors.

Methods: 46 female breast cancer patients in different stages were enrolled to our study. ING3 gene expressions obtained from tumoral and healthy breast tissue samples of patients were evaluated together with pathological and histological parameters.

Results: The median age of the patients was 49 years. ING3 expression rate has been significantly higher in the tumor tissue compared to normal tissue and was statistically significant (p=0.001). In estrogen receptor (ER) and progesterone receptor (PR) positive patients, gene expression ratio was significantly higher than negative ones (p&lt;0.001 and p&lt;0.001, respectively). ING3 expression in tumor tissues of the patients with advanced disease (stage 3-4) was detected higher than ones with early stage disease and it was found to be statistically significant at the border (p=0.048). Moreover, there were no significant changes when ING3 gene expressions were compared with c-erbB2 (Receptor tyrosine-protein kinase erbB-2) status and tumor grade (p&gt; 0.05).

Conclusions: This study was the first study on ING3 gene expression in breast cancer. ING3 gene expression has been shown to be associated with the receptor positivity and advanced stage disease. Further studies should be conducted on the prognostic significance of ING3 gene in breast cancer.

Citation Format: Kalender ME, Cakir M, Ergun S, Oztuzcu S, Cengiz B, Ulasli M, Sevinc A, Camci C. Expression and role of ING3 gene in breast cancer. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the Thirty-Eighth Annual CTRC-AACR San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium: 2015 Dec 8-12; San Antonio, TX. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2016;76(4 Suppl):Abstract nr P6-08-08.

Expression profiling of SCN8A and NDUFC2 genes in colorectal carcinoma

AIM

The expression differences of SCN8A (which encodes type VIII alpha subunit of voltage gated sodium channel) and NDUFC2 (which encodes C2 subunit of Complex I enzyme in oxidative phosphorylation) genes were evaluated in paired colorectal cancer (CRC) tissues which was relied on our partial transcriptome analysis data in cancer cell lines.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

A total of 62 paired tissues of CRC patients (34 male, 28 female) were included in the study. The mRNA levels of SCN8A and NDUFC2 genes were determined by using real-time PCR (qRT-PCR and semiquantitative PCR).

RESULTS

SCN8A gene expression level was significantly lower in tumor tissues (p = 0.0128) and in the patients with the age below 45 years (p = 0.0049). There were also meaningful relationships between the gender, grade of CRC, tumor location, histopathological classification, and SCN8A expression. There was no NDUFC2 differential expression. However, the tumors taken from right colon had significantly lower NDUFC2 expression.

CONCLUSION

Although the voltage gated sodium channels (VGSCs) and Complex I (CI) were associated to a number of diseases including different types of cancers, the different subunits of CI and individual members of VGSCs seem to be cancer type-specific in varying proportions.

Gene expressions of TRP channels in glioblastoma multiforme and relation with survival

Glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) is one of the most lethal forms of cancer in humans, with a median survival of 10 to 12 months. Glioblastoma is highly malignant since the cells are supported by a great number of blood vessels. Although new treatments have been developed by increasing knowledge of molecular nature of the disease, surgical operation remains the standard of care. The TRP (transient receptor potential) superfamily consists of cation-selective channels that have roles in sensory physiology such as thermo- and osmosensation and in several complex diseases such as cancer, cardiovascular, and neuronal diseases. The aim of this study was to investigate the expression levels of TRP channel genes in patients with glioblastoma multiforme and to evaluate the relationship between TRP gene expressions and survival of the patients. Thirty-three patients diagnosed with glioblastoma were enrolled to the study. The expression levels of 21 TRP genes were quantified by using qRT-PCR with dynamic array 48 × 48 chip (BioMark HD System, Fluidigm, South San Francisco, CA, USA). TRPC1, TRPC6, TRPM2, TRPM3, TRPM7, TRPM8, TRPV1, and TRPV2 were found significantly higher in glioblastoma patients. Moreover, there was a significant relationship between the overexpression of TRP genes and the survival of the patients. These results demonstrate for the first time that TRP channels contribute to the progression and survival of the glioblastoma patients.

Expression Levels of miR-30a-5p in Papillary Thyroid Carcinoma: A Comparison Between Serum and Fine Needle Aspiration Biopsy Samples

BACKGROUND

Fine needle aspiration biopsy (FNAB) is a useful tool in the diagnosis of thyroid nodules. However, some limitations exist as approximately 25% of the cases cannot be distinguished with this method. Therefore, identification of novel diagnostic markers is very important in improving the papillary thyroid carcinoma (PTC) diagnosis. microRNAs (miRNAs) are small regulatory RNA molecules that have been involved in a variety of biological processes, including tumorigenesis. Moreover, determination of miRNAs with prognostic, diagnostic, and therapeutic potential is of a great interest today.

AIMS

In the present study, we evaluated the expression level of miR-30a-5p in serum and FNAB samples of PTC patients.

METHODS

A total of 60 cases were included in the study, with the patients subdivided into four groups; benign, atypical cells of undetermined significance (ACUS), malignant group, including Hurthle cell PTC (HC-PTC), and malignant without Hurthle cell PTC (non-HC-PTC). Peripheral blood and FNAB samples of the cases were collected. The serum and FNAB expression levels of miR-30a-5p among the groups were compared. The miR-30a-5p expression level was determined using real-time polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR).

RESULTS

According to both pre- and postoperative pathological diagnosis, miR-30a-5p levels were significantly increased in both serum and FNAB samples of HC-PTC and non-HC-PTC groups compared to other groups. This increase was more evident in the non-HC-PTC group (p=0.0245 for FNAB, p=0.0166 for serum).

CONCLUSIONS

The results of this study suggest that miR-30a-5p might be a novel diagnostic marker candidate in PTC. Further studies are required to investigate this possibility.

The association of the expression of miR-122-5p and its target ADAM10 with human breast cancer

MicroRNAs can regulate many biological functions. miR-122-5p has a tumor suppressor function through different molecular pathways. Also, our second hit, ADAM10, targeted by miR-122-5p, is a major determinant of HER2 shedding causing that trastuzumab cannot bind to HER2 receptors. Therefore, our analysis upon ADAM10 expression and miR-122-5p was a good point to understand molecular mechanism of breast cancer. In our study, we investigated the expression profiles of miR-122-5p and its target ADAM10 in 71 breast cancer patients. Immunohistochemical analysis of ER, PR and HER2 gene products was used to categorize tumors in patients. Expression data and immunohistochemical findings were evaluated to comment on the relationship between miR-122-5p and ADAM10. ADAM10 expression was higher in tumor than that of normal tissue but miR-122-5p expression was lower in tumor than that of normal tissue. The expression pattern in HER2+ patients was reverse of the overall result. It can be explained like that miR-122-5p expression increases especially in HER2+ cancer cell to suppress ADAM10 shedding activity on HER2 receptor. However, increase in expression of tumor suppressor miR-122-5p is not enough to inhibit ADAM10. All in all, we can think miR-122-5p as potential regulator of ADAM10 and trastuzumab resistance. Since if we increase miR-122-5p activity together with trastuzumab administration, then HER2+ breast cancer cells may overcome trastuzumab resistance by inhibiting ADAM10 shedding activity on HER2 receptors and increase the efficiency of trastuzumab.

Reduced gene expression of bikunin as a prognostic marker for renal cell carcinoma

AIM

Experimental and clinical studies showed that bikunin, a Kunitz-type protease inhibitor, found in urine and amniotic fluid has a role in spread of tumor cells by providing a significant reduction in the levels of urokinase-type plasminogen activator (uPA) and its specific receptor urokinase-type plasminogen activator receptor (uPAR). The aim of this study was to investigate expression of bikunin at the mRNA level and screen for mutations in exon sequence in renal cell carcinoma (RCC) tissues.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Total RNA and DNA were extracted from paired normal and tumor tissues of total 50 RCC (11 papillary, 8 chromophobe, 26 clear cell, and 5 other types) patients (23 females, mean age: 53.55 ± 14.17; 27 males mean age: 62.1 ± 7.92). Bikunin mRNA levels were detected using semi-quantitative reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). Mutational screening was performed by using single strand conformation polymorphism (SSCP) method and nucleotide sequence analysis.

RESULTS

There was a statistically significant decrease in the 25 (50%) of tumor tissues comparing to normal tissues in terms of mRNA levels of bikunin (Wilcoxon signed rank test, p = 0.0337). According to the classification based on subtypes of RCC; clear cell RCC samples displayed a reduced gene expression (p = 0.0148). Additionally, the patients with the age above 50 had low bikunin expression. The SNP rs80057939 spanning 4(th) exon of bikunin was detected in 13 tumor tissues. However, it was not statistically significant (p > 0.05).

CONCLUSION

Decreased bikunin mRNA level in renal cells might be associated with poor prognosis of renal carcinoma. Therefore, gene constructs or exogenous administration of bikunin might be a potential adjuvant therapy for RCC treatment.

Do fasudil and Y-27632 affect the level of transient receptor potential (TRP) gene expressions in breast cancer cell lines?

Breast cancer (BC) is the most frequent cancer type in women, and the mortality rate is high especially in metastatic disease. Ion channels such as the transient receptor potential (TRP) channels correlate with malignant growth and cancer progression. Hence, some authors have suggested that the expression levels of TRP channels may be used as a marker in the diagnosis and predicting the prognosis of BC. Also, in some recent studies, targeting TRP channels are suggested as a novel treatment strategy in BC. The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of two Rho-kinase (ROCK) inhibitors, fasudil and Y-27632, on the expression levels of TRP channel genes in breast cancer cell lines (ZR-75-1, MCF7, and MDA-MB-231) and breast epithelial cell line (hTERT-HME1). The expression levels of TRP genes were determined by quantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR). We found that fasudil had reduced the TRPC1, TRPV2 expression levels in the ZR-75-1, MCF7, and MDA-MB-231 cell lines. On the other hand, fasudil and Y-27632 had reduced TRPM6 expression levels in all cell lines. Y-27632 increased the expression levels of TRPC7 in all cell lines. In conclusion, this is the first study demonstrating that the inhibition of ROCK pathway changes the expression levels of some TRP genes. Also, our study has firstly shown that the expression levels of the TRP genes which are suggested as a diagnostic and prognostic biomarker in BC, were changed with the treatment of fasudil and Y-27632.

Novel Βeta (β)-Thalassemia Mutation in Turkish Children

Beta (β)-thalassemia is the most frequently observed hereditary blood disorder in the world. It is characterized by deficiency of hemoglobin β-globin gene and is also a profoundly heterogeneous both at the molecular and clinical level. In the case of β-thalassemia, there is reduced (β(+) type) or absent (β(o) type) synthesis of the beta chains of hemoglobin. β-Thalassemia clinically occurs in three main forms: major, intermedia and minor according to requirement of transfusion. The objective of this study was to evaluate β-thalassemia mutations in 89 patients ranging from 2 months to 16 years of age, who enrolled to Medical School Research and Training Hospital, Gaziantep University. The direct DNA sequence analysis was performed for mutation scanning of β-globin gene. 89 children with β-Thalassemia including all types were analyzed, 16 different β-thalassemia mutations were detected. We have also identified a novel mutation (HBB.c.-80delT, rs397509430) in the promoter region (-30 TATA box) of β-globin gene, and clinical data of patient having novel mutation was given. The β-Thalassemia mutations were determined as β-Thalassemia major type in 42 patients (47.19 %), β-Thalassemia intermedia in 4 (4.49 %), β-Thalassemia minor in 43, (48.31 %) patients. The most frequent mutation was IVS I-110 G>A, followed by IVS I-1 G>A, IVS I-6 T>C, IVS II-1 G>A, respectively.

Thr21Met (T21M) but not Ser89Asn (S89N) polymorphisms of the urotensin-II (UTS-II) gene are associated with Behcet's disease (BD)

Behcet's disease (BD) is multisytemic vasculitis or chronic inflammation that may lead to various autoimmune and autoinflammatory syndromes. Exact etiopathogenesis of BD has not been clarified yet. Urotensin II (UTS-II) is predominantly a vasoactive peptide and Thr21Met polymorphism in UTS-II gene was proved to increasing in some autoimmune diseases. Considering these, our objective was to evaluate whether two UTS-II gene polymorphisms (Thr21Met and Ser89Asn) were responsible in genetic susceptibility to BD in a Turkish population. A total of 198 patients with BD and 275 healthy controls were enrolled. We analyzed the genotype and allele frequencies of two UTS-II gene polymorphisms, Thr21Met and Ser89Asn, in BD patients and in controls. We found that Thr21Met but not Ser89Asn polymorphisms of the UTS-II gene were markedly associated with the risk of developing BD (p<0.0001), The Met21Met genotype was less common among BD patients (6.1% in patients vs. 17.1% in controls; p<0.0001). There was also an increase in the 21Thr allele (54.8% in BD patients vs. 43.8% in controls) and a decrease in 21Met allele frequencies (45.2% in controls vs. 56.2% in patients) in the BD groups (p<0.0044). To the best of our knowledge, for the first time in the literature, our study claims that there is an association between Thr21Met, and not between Ser89Asn polymorphisms in the UTS-II gene and BD. These results put a new player to the field of undiscovered pathogenesis of BD and hopefully provide new insights to the treatment options.

An autophagy-independent role for LC3 in equine arteritis virus replication

Equine arteritis virus (EAV) is an enveloped, positive-strand RNA virus. Genome replication of EAV has been associated with modified intracellular membranes that are shaped into double-membrane vesicles (DMVs). We showed by immuno-electron microscopy that the DMVs induced in EAV-infected cells contain double-strand (ds)RNA molecules, presumed RNA replication intermediates, and are decorated with the autophagy marker protein microtubule-associated protein 1 light chain 3 (LC3). Replication of EAV, however, was not affected in autophagy-deficient cells lacking autophagy-related protein 7 (ATG7). Nevertheless, colocalization of DMVs and LC3 was still observed in these knockout cells, which only contain the nonlipidated form of LC3. Although autophagy is not required, depletion of LC3 markedly reduced the replication of EAV. EAV replication could be fully restored in these cells by expression of a nonlipidated form of LC3. These findings demonstrate an autophagy-independent role for LC3 in EAV replication. Together with the observation that EAV-induced DMVs are also positive for ER degradation-enhancing α-mannosidase-like 1 (EDEM1), our data suggested that this virus, similarly to the distantly-related mouse hepatitis coronavirus, hijacks the ER-derived membranes of EDEMosomes to ensure its efficient replication.

Coronaviruses Hijack the LC3-I-positive EDEMosomes, ER-derived vesicles exporting short-lived ERAD regulators, for replication

Coronaviruses (CoV), including SARS and mouse hepatitis virus (MHV), are enveloped RNA viruses that induce formation of double-membrane vesicles (DMVs) and target their replication and transcription complexes (RTCs) on the DMV-limiting membranes. The DMV biogenesis has been connected with the early secretory pathway. CoV-induced DMVs, however, lack conventional endoplasmic reticulum (ER) or Golgi protein markers, leaving their membrane origins in question. We show that MHV co-opts the host cell machinery for COPII-independent vesicular ER export of a short-living regulator of ER-associated degradation (ERAD), EDEM1, to derive cellular membranes for replication. MHV infection causes accumulation of EDEM1 and OS-9, another short-living ER chaperone, in the DMVs. DMVs are coated with the nonlipidated LC3/Atg8 autophagy marker. Downregulation of LC3, but not inactivation of host cell autophagy, protects cells from CoV infection. Our study identifies the host cellular pathway hijacked for supplying CoV replication membranes and describes an autophagy-independent role for nonlipidated LC3-I.

Qualitative and quantitative ultrastructural analysis of the membrane rearrangements induced by coronavirus

Coronaviruses (CoV) are enveloped positive‐strand RNA viruses that induce different membrane rearrangements in infected cells in order to efficiently replicate and assemble. The origin, the protein composition and the function of these structures are not well established. To shed further light on these structures, we have performed a time‐course experiment in which the mouse hepatitis virus (MHV)‐induced membrane rearrangements were examined qualitatively and quantitatively by (immuno)‐electron microscopy. With our approach we were able to confirm the appearance of 6, previously reported, membranous structures during the course of a complete infection cycle. These structures include the well‐characterized double‐membrane vesicles (DMVs), convoluted membranes (CMs) and virions but also the more enigmatic large virion‐containing vacuoles (LVCVs), tubular bodies (TBs) and cubic membrane structures (CMSs). We have characterized the LVCVs, TBs and CMSs, and found that the CoV‐induced structures appear in a strict order. By combining these data with quantitative analyses on viral RNA, protein synthesis and virion release, this study generates an integrated molecular and ultrastructural overview of CoV infection. In particular, it provides insights in the role of each CoV‐induced structure and reveals that LVCVs are ERGIC/Golgi compartments that expand to accommodate an increasing production of viral particles.