LncRNA GAS5 rs145204276 Polymorphism Reduces Renal Cell Carcinoma Susceptibility in Southern Chinese Population.

OBJECTIVE: Recent studies have demonstrated that the long non-coding RNA (lncRNA) GAS5 is closely associated with the onset and progression of several tumor types, including renal cell carcinoma (RCC). This study sought to evaluate the relationship between two functional GAS5 polymorphisms (rs145204276 and rs55829688) and the risk for RCC in the Han Chinese population. METHODS: The rs145204276 and rs55829688 polymorphisms in the GAS5 promoter region were genotyped in 624 RCC patients and 655 age/sex-matched healthy participants. The association between these polymorphisms and RCC risk was then evaluated using odds ratios (ORs) and corresponding 95% confidence intervals (CIs). Additionally, quantitative RT-PCR was used to determine whether these polymorphisms were associated with changes in the levels of expression of GAS5 in 58 RCC patients. RESULTS: There were significant differences in the GAS5 rs145204276 polymorphism genotype and allele frequencies between the RCC patients and controls (adjusted OR = 0.73, 95% CI = 0.61- 0.87, P = 1.8×10-3). When the study participants were stratified based on age, sex, BMI index, and smoking and drinking history, we found that the rs145204276 del allele was associated with a reduced risk for RCC in nondrinkers (P = 3.3×10-3), nonsmokers (P = 3.3×10-3), females (P = 3.8×10-3), and those who were less than 60 years old (P = 3.3×10-3). There was also a significant association between the rs145204276 del allele and elevated expression of GAS5 in RCC patients (P = 0.030). CONCLUSIONS: The results of this study revealed an association between the rs145204276 polymorphism in the GAS5 lncRNA and the risk for the development of RCC, thus representing a potentially viable biomarker for identifying individuals at risk of developing this form of cancer.

microRNA-186 alleviates oxygen-glucose deprivation/reoxygenation-induced injury by directly targeting hypoxia-inducible factor-1α.

Previous studies have suggested that microRNA-186 (miR-186) can be induced under hypoxic conditions, and is associated with apoptosis. This study was undertaken to explore the exact role of this microRNA (miRNA) in the apoptotic death of neurons during cerebral ischemic/reperfusion (I/R) injury. To model cerebral ischemia/reperfusion (I/R) injuries, we utilized a transient middle cerebral artery occlusion approach in rats, as well as a model of oxygen-glucose deprivation/reoxygenation (OGD/R) in Neuro2a cells. We found that in both in vitro and in vivo models of cerebral I/R injuries, levels of miR-186 were markedly decreased. When we overexpressed miR-186, this was associated with a reduction in the apoptotic death of neuroblastoma cells in the OGD/R model system, whereas the opposite was true when this miRNA was instead inhibited. We further found miR-186 to directly target hypoxia-inducible factor 1α (HIF-1α) by interacting with the 3'-untranslated region of this mRNA. When we knocked down HIF-1α, this partially overcame the apoptotic death of cells in response to OGD/R injury and associated miR-186 downregulation. Our findings indicate that miR-186 is able to reduce ischemic injury to neurons at least in part through downregulating HIF-1α, suggesting that the miR-186/HIF-1α axis is a potential therapeutic target for the treatment of ischemic stroke.

Association of Polymorphisms of the Matrix Metalloproteinase 9 Gene with Ischaemic Stroke in a Southern Chinese Population.

BACKGROUND/AIMS: Matrix metalloproteinase 9 (MMP9), a potent endopeptidase degrading extracellular matrix, plays a pivotal role in the pathogenesis of ischaemic stroke (IS). The present study was undertaken to determine the association of MMP9 gene polymorphisms and the risk of IS in a southern Chinese population. METHODS: A cohort of 1274 patients and 1258 age-matched healthy controls were genotyped to detect the four MMP9 polymorphisms (rs17156, rs3787268, rs3918241 and rs3918242) using SNaPshot. RESULTS: Our study demonstrated a significant difference in the genotype and allele frequencies of the MMP9 rs3918242 polymorphism between the IS patients and the controls (P = 0.012 for the genotype and P = 0.0092 for the allele). Stratification by smoking status showed statistically significant differences in the frequency and allele of the rs3918242 polymorphism between IS patients and the controls (P = 0.0052 for the genotype and P = 0.0019 for the allele). Further stratification by IS subtypes revealed that the presence of the T allele of the MMP9 rs3918242 polymorphism confers a higher risk of the large artery atherosclerosis subtype of IS (P = 0.017). Moreover, IS patients with the rs3918242 T allele of MMP9 presented with increased serum MMP9 production, and this increase was more significant in smokers with IS (P = 0.022). Patients carrying the variant T allele of the MMP9 rs3918242 polymorphism exhibited significantly higher infarct volumes than those with the major CC genotype (P = 0.036). CONCLUSION: Our study provides preliminary evidence that the MMP9 rs3918242 polymorphism is linked to a higher risk of IS, confirming the role of MMP9 in the pathophysiology of IS, with potentially important therapeutic implications.