Comprehensive characterization of adipogenesis-related genes in colorectal cancer for clinical significance and immunogenomic landscape analyses.

OBJECTIVE: Colorectal cancer (CRC) is a major global health concern, necessitating the identification of biomarkers and molecular subtypes for improved clinical management. This study aims to evaluate the clinical value of adipogenesis-related genes and molecular subtypes in CRC. METHODS: A comprehensive analysis of adipogenesis-related genes in CRC was performed using publicly available datasets (TCGA and GEO database) and bioinformatics tools. Unsupervised cluster analysis was employed to identify the molecular subtypes of CRC, while LASSO regression analysis was utilized to develop a risk prognostic model. The immunogenomic patterns and immunotherapy analysis were used to predict patient response to immunotherapy. Furthermore, qPCR analysis was conducted to confirm the expression of the identified key genes in vitro. RESULTS: Through the analysis of RNAseq data from normal and tumor tissues, we identified 50 differentially expressed genes. Unsupervised cluster analysis identified two subtypes (Cluster A and Cluster B) with significantly different survival outcomes. Cluster A and B displayed differential immune cell compositions and enrichment in specific biological pathways, providing insights into potential therapeutic targets. A risk-scoring model was developed using five ARGs, which successfully classified patients into high and low-risk groups, showing distinct survival outcomes. The model was validated and showed robust predictive performance. High-risk patients exhibited altered immune cell proportions and gene expression patterns compared to low-risk patients. In qPCR validation, four out of the five key genes were consistent with the results of bioinformatics analysis. CONCLUSION: Overall, the findings of our investigation offer valuable understanding regarding the clinical relevance of ARGs and molecular subtypes in CRC, laying the groundwork for improved precision medicine applications and personalized treatment modalities.

SNP rs322931 (C>T) in miR-181b and rs7158663 (G>A) in MEG3 aggravate the inflammatory response of anal abscess in patients with Crohn's disease.

BACKGROUND: The MEG3/miR-181b signaling has been implicated in the pathogenesis of several diseases including Crohn's disease. This work aimed to study the correlation between SNPs in MEG3/miR-181b and the severity of anal abscess in patients with Crohn's disease. METHODS: Quantitative real-time PCR was performed to analyze the expression of MEG3 and miR-181b. ELISA was carried out to examine the expression of TNF-α, IL-1ß, IL-6, CRP, SSA, AAT, AAG and HPT in the peripheral blood of patients with Crohn's disease. Luciferase assay was performed to explore the role of miR-181b in the expression of MEG3 and TNF-α. RESULTS: The expression of MEG3 and miR-181b in the peripheral blood of patients with Crohn's disease was remarkably associated with the rs322931 and rs7158663 polymorphisms. rs322931 (C>T) in miR-181b and rs7158663 (G>A) in MEG3 significantly promoted the expression of TNF-α, IL-1ß, IL-6, CRP, SSA, AAT, AAG and HPT. Luciferase assay demonstrated that miR-181b was capable of repressing the expression of MEG3 and TNF-α through binding to their specific binding sites. Moreover, alteration of MEG3 and miR-181b expression also showed a remarkable impact on the MEG3/miR-181b/TNF-α signaling pathway in THP-1 cells. CONCLUSIONS: In conclusion, our study demonstrated that two SNPs, rs322931 (C>T) in miR-181b and rs7158663 (G>A) in MEG3, could aggravate the inflammatory response of anal abscess in patients with Crohn's disease via modulating the MEG3/miR-181b/TNF-α signaling pathway.