Interferon-induced transmembrane protein 3 in hepatocellular carcinoma patients.

OBJECTIVE: The study aimed to investigate the over expression of IFITM3 in hepatocellular carcinoma Egyptian patients. BACKGROUND: Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) continues to be a serious disease burden. Interferon Induced Transmembrane protein 3 (IFITM3) is a protein that encoded in humans by the IFITM3 gene. It plays a critical role in the immune system's defense, responsible for a large portion of the antiviral activity. In this study, we showed that IFITM3 rs 12252-CC was over expressed in HCC patients compared to control group with HCV infection. METHOD: DNA sequencing was applied for detection of IFITM3 rs 12252-CC and IFITM3 protein level was measured by ELISA to 50 patients with HCC with cirrhosis and 50 with Hepatitis C virus infection. RESULTS: The obtained results of this study indicated that IFITM3 rs 12252-CC was significantly elevated in HCC group, the codominant model of CC genotype of IFITM3 gene had high association with risk of hepatocellular carcinoma with odd ratio (OR) = 2.70, p = 0.041. CONCLUSION: IFITM3 play an important role in progression of hepatocellular carcinoma. Results revealed that IFITM3 rs 12252-CC among Hepatocellular carcinoma patients would allow diagnosis and starting intervention.

Relationship between interferon-induced transmembrane protein 3 and matrix metalloproteinase-9 gene polymorphisms in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma.

BACKGROUND: Hepatocellular carcinoma originates from hepatocytes as a result of the effects of numerous genetic variations. Interferon-Induced Transmembrane protein 3 (IFITM3) is involved in the processes of cellular differentiation, apoptosis, cell adhesion, and immune cell regulation. Matrix Metalloproteinase-9 (MMP-9) are zinc dependent endopeptidases that cleave extracellular matrix contents and play an important role in the progression of cancer. OBJECTIVE: The study aimed to outline the key molecular biology progression in hepatocellular carcinoma and the relationship between hepatocellular cancer and genetic polymorphisms of IFITM3 and MMP-9. METHODS: In total 200 patients with hepatocellular carcinoma patients (n=100) and a control group with Hepatitis C virus (n=100) which collected randomly from the EL-Mansoura oncology center during the interval between June 2020 and October 2021. The expression of MMP-9 and the IFITM3 SNP was investigated. MMP-9 gene polymorphisms were estimated by using PCR-RFLP and IFITM3 gene was detected using DNA sequencing, ELISA was used to measure protein levels of MMP-9 and IFITM3. RESULTS: The T allele of MMP-9 was more frequent among patients (n=121) than control subjects (n=71). The C allele of IFITM3 was more frequent among patients (n=112) than control subjects (n=83), polymorphisms of the genes linked to a high risk of disease development, patients of MMP-9 (TT genotype), odd ratio (OR) = 2.63, IFITM3 (CC genotype), OR= 2.43. CONCLUSIONS: We found that the genetic polymorphisms of MMP-9 and IFITM3 are related to the occurrence and development of hepatocellular carcinoma. This study might be utilized in clinical diagnosis and therapy and to provide a baseline for prevention.

Serum uric acid/creatinine ratio and free androgen index are synergistically associated with increased risk of polycystic ovary syndrome in obese women.

BACKGROUND: Features of metabolic syndrome such as abdominal obesity, insulin resistance, hypertension and dyslipidemia are commonly encountered in polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS). Recent evidence has suggested an association between high serum uric acid/creatinine (UA/Cr) ratio and metabolic syndrome however, no studies have investigated this association in PCOS. The current study was conducted to investigate the relationship between UA/Cr ratio and PCOS and to identify whether UA/Cr ratio and free androgen index (FAI) have an additive interaction for detection of PCOS risk in obese women. METHODS: This study enrolled 40 obese women with PCOS and 40 control women with regular menstrual cycles matched for age and body mass index (BMI). Anthropometric measurements, fasting glucose, fasting insulin, homeostasis model assessment of insulin resistance (HOMA-IR), lipids profile, luteinizing hormone (LH), follicle stimulating hormone (FSH), estradiol, dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate (DHEAS), sex hormone binding globulin (SHBG), total testosterone, free androgen index (FAI), UA/Cr ratio were assessed. RESULTS: Serum UA/Cr ratio was significantly higher in obese women with PCOS than in non-PCOS women. UA/Cr ratio was correlated with BMI, waist and neck circumferences, blood pressure, fasting insulin, HOMA-IR, lipids, LH/FSH, estradiol, DHEAS, total testosterone, FAI and SHBG. UA/Cr ratio and FAI were independent risk factors for PCOS in obese women however, the addictive interaction between UA/Cr ratio and FAI had a higher fold risk (OR: 4.3, 95% CI, 3.4-7.58) and a more significance (P = 0.002) for determination of PCOS. CONCLUSION: Serum UA/Cr ratio combined with FAI can exert an additive or synergistic impact on prediction of PCOS in obese women.