A Case Report of Corynebacterium Tuberculostearicum Infection.

BACKGROUND: The goal was to report a rare case of lymphadenitis caused by Corynebacterium tuberculostearicum, and the laboratory's coping approach in the isolation and identification of this rare pathogen to improve the understanding of the disease. METHODS: Lymph node biopsy was performed in a patient with suspected tuberculous lymphadenitis, and the biopsy tissue was isolated and cultured. RESULTS: The culture was Gram positive Corynebacterium, which was identified as Corynebacterium tuberculostearicum by microbial mass spectrometry and 16S rRNA gene sequencing. Antimicrobial susceptibility test showed that the drug was sensitive to daptomycin, doxycycline, gentamicin, linezolid, vancomycin, and meropenem, but resistant to ciprofloxacin, clindamycin, erythromycin, rifampicin, compound sulfamethoxazole, ceftriaxone, and cefepime. CONCLUSIONS: This is a case of Corynebacterium tuberculostearicum infection. Case reports of Corynebacterium tuberculostearicum infection are relatively rare in China. Through case study, we can provide help for laboratory isolation, identification, clinical diagnosis, and treatment.

Molecular characteristics and antimicrobial resistance profiles of Carbapenem-Resistant Klebsiella pneumoniae isolates at a tertiary hospital in Nanning, China.

PURPOSE: Carbapenem resistant Klebsiella pneumoniae is associated with nosocomial infections and can cause high mortality, which poses great threat to human health. This study was aimed at investigating the molecular epidemiology and antimicrobial resistance profiles of carbapenem resistant Klebsiella pneumoniae isolates and providing clues for management and control of carbapenem resistant Klebsiella pneumoniae infections. METHODS: A total of 2324 Klebsiella pneumoniae strains were isolated from the First Affiliated Hospital of Guangxi Medical University from June 2018 to October 2020, and 103 carbapenem resistant Klebsiella pneumoniae strains from inpatients were collected, and the specimens mainly came from the sputum, urine, secretions, and blood. The antimicrobial susceptibility tests were performed using the VITEK 2 Compact system or the Kirby-Bauer disk-diffusion method. The resistance genes were detected by polymerase chain reaction and sequencing. The homology analysis of carbapenem resistant Klebsiella pneumoniae strains was performed by multilocus sequence typing. RESULTS: Antimicrobial susceptibility results showed that the 103 carbapenem resistant Klebsiella pneumoniae strains were resistant to most common antibiotics. Resistance genes detection showed that the carbapenem resistant Klebsiella pneumoniae isolates mainly carried metallo-beta-lactamase, and the predominant gene was NDM-1. The homology analysis found that the major ST type were ST11, follow by ST15 and ST17. CONCLUSION: The carbapenem resistant Klebsiella pneumoniae isolates in our study shown resistance to most common antibiotics. Of the 103 carbapenem resistant Klebsiella pneumoniae strains, 91 strains (88.35%) carried carbapenemases genes, and NDM was the predominant carbapenemase gene detected. ST11 was the major ST typing of carbapenem resistant Klebsiella pneumoniae in our hospital. Our finding may play a role in control and management of the carbapenem resistant Klebsiella pneumoniae infections and guiding clinical antibiotic therapy. In addition, metallo-beta-lactamase should be served as a key target to be monitored in carbapenem resistant Klebsiella pneumoniae infection.

Serum Proteomic Analysis by Tandem Mass Tags (TMT) Based Quantitative Proteomics in Gastric Cancer Patients.

BACKGROUND: To use the tandem mass tags (TMT) based quantitative proteomics technique and bioinformatics method to identify potential serum diagnostic biomarkers for gastric cancer (GC). METHODS: This study enrolled GC patients and healthy control subjects. Mixed serum samples were pooled with 10 individual samples. The high-abundance proteins depleted serum proteins were collected by removing abundance albumin and immunoglobulin G (IgG). After desalting and ultrafiltration, the trypsin digested proteins were analyzed using TMT based quantitative proteomics system. The differential proteins were screened using the cutoff value of 1.2-fold change for up-regulation or down-regulation. The gene ontology (GO) was further analyzed using the UniProtKB/Swiss-Prot database. Then the differentially expressed protein ITIH4, S100A8, CD59, and COF1 were conducted using western blot. RESULTS: A total of 594 distinct serum proteins were identified between the GC group and the healthy controls. Forty-eight proteins were up-regulated and 57 were down-regulated using the cutoff value of 1.2-fold change. Using bioinformatics analysis, we found that the differentially expressed proteins were mainly concentrated in the extracellular exosome, extracellular region, extracellular space, and plasma membrane; their biological process activities included antigen binding, calcium ion binding, and protein homodimerization. In addition, the western blotting results showed that four differentially expressed proteins were completely coincident with the TMT quantification trend. CONCLUSIONS: The results showed that we were able to successfully create the differentially expressed protein database of GC using TMT technology. These proteins are potential molecular markers that could help us understand the potential molecular mechanism of GC.

Glycoprofiling of Early Gastric Cancer Using Lectin Microarray Technology.

BACKGROUND: Recently, studies have reported that protein glycosylation plays an important role in the occurrence and development of cancer. Gastric cancer is a common cancer with high morbidity and mortality owing to most gastric cancers are discovered only at an advanced stage. Here, we aim to discover novel specific serum glycanbased biomarkers for gastric cancer. METHODS: A lectin microarray with 50 kinds of tumor-associated lectin was used to detect the glycan profiles of serum samples between early gastric cancer and healthy controls. Then lectin blot was performed to validate the differences. RESULTS: The result of the lectin microarray showed that the signal intensities of 13 lectins showed significant differences between the healthy controls and early gastric cancer. Compared to the healthy, the normalized fluorescent intensities of the lectins PWA, LEL, and STL were significantly increased, and it implied that their specifically recognized GlcNAc showed an especially elevated expression in early gastric cancer. Moreover, the binding affinity of the lectins EEL, RCA-II, RCA-I, VAL, DSA, PHA-L, UEA, and CAL were higher in the early gastric cancer than in healthy controls. These glycan structures containing GalNAc, terminal Galß 1-4 GlcNAc, Tri/tetraantennary N-glycan, ß-1, 6GlcNAc branching structure, α-linked fucose residues, and Tn antigen were elevated in gastric cancer. While the two lectins CFL GNL reduced their binding ability. In addition, their specifically recognized N-acetyl-D-galactosamine structure and (α-1,3) mannose residues were decreased in early gastric cancer. Furthermore, lectin blot results of LEL, STL, PHA-L, RCA-I were consistent with the results of the lectin microarray. CONCLUSIONS: The findings of our study clarify the specific alterations for glycosylation during the pathogenesis of gastric cancer. The specific high expression of GlcNAc structure may act as a potential early diagnostic marker for gastric cancer.

Effect of RAGE gene polymorphisms and circulating sRAGE levels on susceptibility to gastric cancer: a case-control study.

BACKGROUND: To investigate the influence of polymorphisms in the receptor for advanced glycation end products (RAGE) gene and circulating soluble RAGE (sRAGE) levels on susceptibility to gastric cancer, and identify whether these polymorphisms were correlated with serum sRAGE levels. METHODS: We performed a hospital-based case-control study involving 200 gastric cancer patients and 207 cancer-free controls. Four well-characterized RAGE genetic polymorphisms, namely, rs1800624, rs1800625, rs184003, and rs2070600 were genotyped by PCR-RFLP. RESULTS: The rs2070600 AG genotype might play a predominant role in the development of gastric cancer (adjusted OR 1.62, 95% CI 1.03-2.58). In contrast, the rs184003 GT genotype represented significantly reduced risk for gastric cancer (adjusted OR 0.62, 95% CI 0.39-0.99). Subgroup analysis demonstrated that rs2070600 AG variant genotype enhanced the gastric cancer risk among nonsmokers (OR 1.71, 95% CI 1.01-2.91), nondrinkers (OR 1.75, 95% CI 1.03-2.97), and patients with tumor stage III (OR 2.00, 95% CI 1.13-3.56). The average sRAGE levels in the gastric cancer patients were significantly decreased compared with those of the healthy controls. Subjects carrying the rs2070600 AG genotype had a decreased ability to produce sRAGE. Subjects carrying the rs184003 T variant allele had an increased ability to sRAGE. CONCLUSIONS: These findings suggested that the variant genotypes of rs184003 and rs2070600 in the RAGE gene exhibit significant associations with gastric cancer risk and circulating sRAGE levels inverse change simultaneously, leading to a marked causal estimate between lowered sRAGE levels and increased gastric cancer risk.

Increased Red Blood Cell Volume Distribution Width: Important Clinical Implications in Predicting Gastric Diseases.

BACKGROUND: The red blood cell distribution width (RDW) is a blood analyzer marker showing the peripheral blood erythrocyte volume heterogeneity parameters. It is a normal diagnosis index of many diseases. This study was performed to evaluate the relationship between the RDW and gastric diseases. METHODS: A total of 189 patients with GC, 68 patients with gastric ulcers, 92 patients with chronic gastritis, and 157 healthy controls were enrolled in this study. Each patient's RDW and other biomarkers were recorded. All of the statistical analyses and comparisons between each group were determined using SPSS16.0 software. The statistical significance level was set to a p-value < 0.05. RESULTS: The RDW was significantly higher in those patients with gastric diseases when compared to the control group (p < 0.05). In addition, the RDW was independently correlated with the presence of GC and gastric ulcers. Significantly positive correlations between the RDW, platelets, and platelet distribution width (PDW) were observed in those patients with GC and gastric ulcers, although there were negative correlations with the red blood cells (RBCs), hemoglobin, and mean corpuscular volume (MCV) (p < 0.05). In the chronic gastritis group, elevated RDW values were closely associated with the hemoglobin, platelet, and MCV values (p < 0.05). The specificities of the gastric diseases groups were greater than 90%. CONCLUSIONS: In cases of gastric diseases, the RDW values were increased and were associated with several laboratory parameters. These finding may have important clinical implications in predicting gastric diseases.

Interferon gamma +874 T/A polymorphism increases the risk of cervical cancer: evidence from a meta-analysis.

Data from previous studies about the association between interferon gamma (IFN-γ) +874 T/A (rs2430561) polymorphism and cervical cancer risk offer controversial results. To obtain a more dependable conclusion, this meta-analysis was performed. We selected eight articles including nine case-control studies with 1,116 cases and 1,290 controls, odds ratios (OR) with 95 % confidence intervals (CI) were used to assess the strength of the association. Subgroup analysis was carried out by ethnicity, source of controls, genotyping methods, and score of quality assessment. Our meta-analysis indicated that the IFN-γ (+874 T/A) polymorphism significantly increased the risk of cervical cancer in the codominant model (TA vs. TT: OR = 1.471, 95 % CI = 1.137-1.903, P = 0.003, I (2) % = 0.0, P Q = 0.785) and the dominant model (TA + AA vs. TT: OR = 1.399, 95 % CI = 1.097-1.784, P = 0.007, I (2) % = 0.0, P Q = 0.486) in the overall population. Stratified analysis by ethnicity indicated a significantly increased risk of cervical cancer in Asians in the codominant model (TA vs. TT: OR = 1.494, 95 % CI = 1.069-2.087, P = 0.019, I (2) % = 0.0, P Q = 0.440) and the dominant model (OR = 1.455, 95 % CI = 1.062-1.993, P = 0.019, I (2) % = 42.9, P Q = 0.154). Thus, the IFN-γ (+874 T/A) polymorphism is likely to increase the risk of cervical cancer. Because of the limited studies and sample sizes included in our meta-analysis, further well-designed and large-scale studies are demanded to confirm our results.

Effect of aspirin and other non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs on prostate cancer incidence and mortality: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND: It has been postulated that non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) use leads to decreased prostate cancer (PCa) risk. In recent years, NSAIDs' role in PCa development has been extensively studied; however, there is not yet a definitive answer. Moreover, the epidemiological results for NSAIDs' effect on PCa-specific mortality have been inconsistent. Therefore, we performed a meta-analysis to examine the controversy. METHODS: We performed a literature database search and included all published studies conducted in the general population exposed to any NSAID, extracting an odds ratio (OR) or a hazard ratio (HR) with 95% confidence intervals (95% CIs) that compared the incidence of PCa or PCa-specific mortality with non-exposure. We derived a pooled OR or HR using random or fixed effects models, as appropriate. Subgroup analyses were also performed. RESULTS: Thirty-nine studies (20 case-control and 19 cohort studies) were included in this analysis. Thirty-one studies were available concerning NSAID use and PCa incidence and eight studies on PCa-specific mortality. Compared to non-use, aspirin use was statistically significantly associated with PCa incidence risk, and the association was slightly stronger for advanced PCa than for total PCa (OR = 0.92, 95% CI = 0.87 to 0.97 for total PCa; OR = 0.81, 95% CI = 0.73 to 0.89 for advanced PCa). Aspirin use seems also to be associated with a modest reduction in PCa-specific mortality (HR = 0.86, 95% CI = 0.78 to 0.96 for total PCa; OR = 0.81, 95% CI = 0.71 to 0.92 for advanced PCa). Generally, the pooled effects for any NSAIDs, NA-NSAIDs and cyclooxygenase-2 inhibitors demonstrated no adverse or beneficial effects on PCa development or PCa-specific mortality, but the results were not consistent. The effect estimates did not vary markedly when stratified by study design and study quality but varied by geographic region. Furthermore, long-term aspirin use (≥ 4 years) was also significantly associated with reduced PCa incidence (OR = 0.88, 95% CI 0.79 to 0.99). CONCLUSIONS: The present meta-analysis provides support for the hypothesis that aspirin use is inversely related to PCa incidence and PCa-specific mortality. The effect estimates, varying by geographic region, deserve further investigation.

Association between statin use and colorectal cancer risk: a meta-analysis of 42 studies.

PURPOSE: There is a long-standing debate about whether statins have chemopreventive properties against colorectal cancer (CRC), but the results remain inconclusive. We therefore present a meta-analysis to investigate the association between statin use and risk of CRC. METHODS: A comprehensive literature search was undertaken through July 2013 looking for eligible studies. Pooled relative risk (RR) estimates and 95 % confidence intervals (CIs) were used to calculate estimated effect. RESULTS: Forty-two studies [18 case-control studies, 13 cohort studies, and 11 randomized controlled trials (RCTs)] were included in this analysis. Overall, statin use was associated with a modest reduction in the risk of CRC (RR = 0.90, 95 % CI 0.86-0.95). When the analyses were stratified into subgroups, a significant decreased association of CRC risk was observed in observational studies (RR = 0.89, 95 % CI 0.84-0.95), rectal cancer (RR = 0.81, 95 % CI 0.66-0.99), and lipophilic statin (RR = 0.88, 95 % CI 0.85-0.93), but not in RCTs (RR = 0.96, 95 % CI 0.85-1.08), colon cancer, and hydrophilic statin. However, long-term statin use (≥5 years) did not significantly affect the risk of CRC (RR = 0.96, 95 % CI 0.90-1.03). Cumulative meta-analysis showed that statin use significantly reduces the risk of CRC, which has been available between 2007 and 2013. CONCLUSIONS: Our results suggest that statin use is associated with a modest reduced risk of CRC; apparent associations were found for lipophilic statin use. However, long-term statin use did not appear to significantly affect the risk of CRC.

Kidney stones and cardiovascular risk: a meta-analysis of cohort studies.

BACKGROUND: Recent epidemiologic evidence suggests an association between kidney stones and incident cardiovascular disease after adjusting for other cardiovascular risk factors, but results are inconsistent. STUDY DESIGN: Meta-analysis of cohort studies. SETTING & POPULATION: Patients with kidney stones. SELECTION CRITERIA FOR STUDIES: Cohort studies with data for kidney stones and cardiovascular morbidity identified in PubMed, EMBASE, Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, and conference proceedings through February 27, 2014. PREDICTOR: Kidney stones as determined by physician diagnosis, clinical coding, or self-reported scales. OUTCOMES: Cardiovascular disease, coronary heart disease (CHD), and stroke. RESULTS: 6 cohort studies that contained 49,597 patients with kidney stones and 3,558,053 controls, with 133,589 cardiovascular events, were included. Pooled results suggested that kidney stones were associated with an increased adjusted risk estimate for CHD (HR, 1.19; 95% CI, 1.05-1.35; P=0.05; n=6 cohorts) and stroke (HR, 1.40; 95% CI, 1.20-1.64; P<0.001; n=3 cohorts). In particular, kidney stones conferred HRs of 1.29 (95% CI, 1.10-1.52; n=6 cohorts) and 1.31 (95% CI, 1.05-1.65; n=4 cohorts) for myocardial infarction and coronary revascularization, respectively. Moreover, the pooled female cohorts showed a statistically significant association (HR, 1.49; 95% CI, 1.21-1.82; n=4 cohorts), whereas the male cohorts showed no association (HR, 1.15; 95% CI, 0.89-1.50; n=2 cohorts). LIMITATIONS: Results may be limited by substantial heterogeneity, likelihood of residual confounding, and paucity of studies that separately evaluated for effect modification by sex. CONCLUSIONS: Kidney stones were associated with increased cardiovascular risk, including the risk for incident CHD or stroke. There is some suggestion that the risk may be higher in women than men. Further prospective studies are needed to determine whether the association is sex specific.

Association of OGG1 Ser326Cys polymorphism and pancreatic cancer susceptibility: evidence from a meta-analysis.

The 8-oxoguanine DNA glycosylase (OGG1) gene has been considered to be associated with cancer susceptibility. The OGG1 Ser326Cys polymorphism has been reported to be associated with pancreatic cancer (PC), but the published studies have yielded inconsistent results. For better understanding of the effect of OGG1 Ser326Cys polymorphism on PC susceptibility, a meta-analysis was performed. All eligible studies were identified through a search of PubMed, Excerpta Medica Database (Embase), Elsevier Science Direct, and Chinese Biomedical Literature Database before May 2013. The association between the OGG1 Ser326Cys polymorphism and PC risk was conducted by odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs). A total of five case-control studies with 1,690 cases and 3,650 controls were eventually collected. Overall, we found that OGG1 Ser326Cys polymorphism was not associated with PC susceptibility (Cys/Cys vs. Ser/Ser: OR = 0.95, 95% CI = 0.80-1.14; Cys/Cys vs. Ser/Ser + Ser/Cys: OR = 0.95, 95% CI = 0.78-1.14; Cys/Cys + Ser/Cys vs. Ser/Ser (OR = 1.00, 95% CI = 0.89-1.12)). In the subgroup analysis based on ethnicity, source of control, sample size, and genotyping method, no significant association was found in any genetic models. This meta-analysis suggests that the OGG1 Ser326Cys polymorphism may not associated with PC susceptibility. Considering the limited sample size and ethnicity included in the meta-analysis, further larger scaled and well-designed studies are needed to confirm our results.

Methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase polymorphisms and breast cancer risk in Chinese population: a meta-analysis of 22 case-control studies.

The association between methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase (MTHFR) gene polymorphisms and breast cancer risk in the Chinese population has been widely reported, but results were inconsistent. In order to derive a more precise estimation of the relationship, a meta-analysis was performed. Eligible articles were identified through search of databases including Medline, PubMed, Web of Science, Embase, Chinese Biomedical Literature Database (CBM, Chinese), China National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI, Chinese), and Wangfang Database (Chinese). The association between the MTHFR polymorphism and breast cancer risk was conducted using odds ratios (ORs) and 95 % confidence intervals (95 % CIs). Finally, a total of 22 studies with 6,103 cases and 7,913 controls were included in our meta-analysis: 13 studies with 3,273 cases and 4,419 controls for C677T polymorphism and 9 studies with 2,830 cases and 3,494 controls for A1298C polymorphism. With regard to C677T polymorphism, significant association was found with breast cancer risk under three models (T vs. C: OR = 1.12, 95 % CI = 1.02-1.23, P = 0.015; TT vs. CC: OR = 1.35, 95 % CI = 1.10-1.67, P = 0.005; TT vs. CC/CT: OR = 1.37, 95 % CI = 1.11-1.70, P = 0.004). There was no significant association found between A1298C polymorphism and breast cancer risk under all genetic models (C vs. A: OR = 0.96, 95 % CI = 0.89-1.03, P = 0.268; CC vs. AA: OR = 0.98, 95 % CI = 0.77-1.26, P = 0.899; AC vs. AA: OR = 0.95, 95 % CI = 0.88-1.02, P = 0.174; CC vs. AC/AA: OR = 1.00, 95 % CI = 0.78-1.28, P = 0.996, CC/AC vs. AA: OR = 0.96, 95 % CI = 0.89-1.02, P = 0.196). In summary, during this meta-analysis, we found that MTHFR C677T polymorphism was significantly associated with breast cancer risk in the Chinese population. Meanwhile, MTHFR A1298C polymorphism was not associated with breast cancer risk in the Chinese population.

XPD Asp312Asn and Lys751Gln polymorphisms and breast cancer susceptibility: a meta-analysis.

The association between xeroderma pigmentosum complementation group D (XPD) Asp312Asn and Lys751Gln gene polymorphisms and breast cancer risk has been widely reported, but the results were inconsistent. In order to derive a more precise estimation of the relationship, a meta-analysis was performed. A comprehensive search strategy was conducted towards the electronic databases including Medline, PubMed, Web of Science, Embase, and Chinese Biomedical Literature Database (Chinese). The association between the XPD polymorphism and breast cancer risk was conducted by odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (95% CIs). A total of 22 studies with 18,136 cases and 18,351 controls were included in our meta-analysis. Among these, 12 studies with 7,667 cases and 7,480 controls for Asp312Asn polymorphism and 20 studies with 10,469 cases and 10,871 controls for Lys751Gln polymorphism. With regard to Asp312Asn polymorphism, no significantly associated was found with breast cancer risk. However, significant association was found between Lys751Gln polymorphism and breast cancer risk under all genetic models in overall populations (C vs. A-OR = 1.10, 95% CI = 1.04-1.17, P = 0.002; CC vs. AA-OR = 1.17, 95% CI = 1.06-1.30, P = 0.003; AC vs. AA-OR = 1.06, 95% CI = 1.01-1.12, P = 0.032; CC vs. AC/AA-OR = 1.17, 95% CI = 1.04-1.32, P = 0.009; CC/AC vs. AA-OR = 1.07, 95% CI = 1.02-1.12, P = 0.005). In subgroup analysis base on ethnicity, significance was found in Caucasians and mix. The results suggest that XPD Asp312Asn polymorphism was not associated with breast cancer. The XPD Lys751Gln polymorphism significantly increased breast cancer risk, especially for Caucasian and mix.

Vascular endothelial growth factor +936C/T polymorphism and breast cancer risk: a meta-analysis of 13 case-control studies.

The association between vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) +936C/T polymorphism and breast cancer risk has been widely reported, but results were inconsistent. In order to derive a more precise estimation of the relationship, a meta-analysis was performed. Eligible articles were identified through search of databases including PubMed, Embase, and Chinese Biomedical Literature Database (CBM). The association between the VEGF +936C/T polymorphism and breast cancer risk was conducted by odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (95% CIs). Finally, a total of 13 studies with 6,879 cases and 7,219 controls were included in our meta-analysis. Overall, a significant association was found between VEGF +936C/T polymorphisms and the risk of breast cancer in overall populations under five models (T vs. C: OR = 0.83, 95% CI = 0.73-0.94, P = 0.002; TT vs. CC: OR = 0.74, 95% CI = 0.61-0.91, P = 0.004, Fig. 1a; TC vs. CC: OR = 0.83, 95% CI = 0.71-0.96, P = 0.014; TT vs. CC/CT: OR = 0.77, 95% CI = 0.62-0.94, P = 0.010; TT/TC vs. CC: OR = 0.82, 95% CI = 0.72-0.95, P = 0.006). In the subgroup analysis by ethnicity, there were also significant associations found between VEGF +936C/T polymorphism and breast cancer risk in Asians and Caucasians. In conclusion, the results of our meta-analysis suggest that the VEGF +936C/T polymorphism is significantly associated with breast cancer development and the VEGF 936T allele carriers may be associated with decreased breast cancer risk.

The MMP-1, MMP-2, and MMP-9 gene polymorphisms and susceptibility to bladder cancer: a meta-analysis.

The relationship between matrix metalloproteinase (MMP) polymorphisms and bladder cancer risk has become a hot topic and was studied extensively in recent years, but the results are still controversial. In order to estimate the relationship of MMP polymorphisms and the risk of bladder cancer, we performed this meta-analysis. We conducted a comprehensive search of databases; PubMed, Web of Science, Embase, Chinese Biomedical Literature Database (CBM, Chinese) and Wanfang Database (Chinese) were searched for all case-control studies which mainly study the relationship between MMP-1-1607 1G/2G, MMP-2-1306 C/T, and MMP-9-1562 C/T polymorphisms and the susceptibility of bladder cancer. The association between the MMP polymorphisms and bladder cancer risk was conducted by odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (95% CIs). At last, totally five literatures with 1,141 cases and 1,069 controls were contained in the meta-analysis. Among these articles, four articles with 1,103 cases and 1,053 controls were about MMP-1-1607 1G/2G polymorphism and three studies with 839 cases and 775 controls for MMP-2-1306 C/T polymorphism and MMP-9-1562 C/T polymorphism. With regard to MMP-1-1607 1G/2G polymorphism, significant association was found with bladder cancer susceptibility only under recessive model (2G2G vs. 1G2G/1G1G: OR = 1.44, 95% CI = 1.05-1.97, P = 0.022), and as to the MMP-2-1306 C/T polymorphism, significant association was found with bladder cancer susceptibility only under homozygote model (TT vs. CC: OR = 2.10, 95% CI = 1.38-3.10, P = 0), but no associations was found between MMP-9-1562 C/T polymorphism and bladder cancer susceptibility. The results suggest that the MMP-2-1306 C/T and MMP-9-1562 C/T polymorphisms are significantly associated with bladder cancer susceptibility, and no associations were found between MMP-9-1562 C/T polymorphism and bladder cancer susceptibility.

Lack of association between vitamin D receptor gene ApaI, BsmI, and TaqI polymorphisms and primary biliary cirrhosis risk: a meta-analysis.

Previous studies have reported the association between vitamin D receptor (VDR) polymorphisms and the risk of primary biliary cirrhosis (PBC), although these results remain controversial. The aim of this meta-analysis was to evaluate the association of three polymorphisms in VDR with PBC risk. The relevant studies were identified through an electronic database search carried out in September 2013. The crude odds ratio (OR) and 95% confidence interval (CI) were calculated to assess the association between VDR polymorphisms and PBC risk. Six eligible studies which met our selection criteria were included. Overall, the ApaI, BsmI, and TaqI polymorphisms in the VDR gene were not associated with PBC risk (ApaI A vs a OR = 1.132, 95% CI = 0.870-1.472, p = 0.355; BsmI B vs b OR = 1.148, 95% CI = 0.697-1.891, p = 0.589; TaqI t vs T OR = 1.1432, 95% CI = 0.709-1.841, p = 0.584). Furthermore, in subgroup analysis by ethnicity for the ApaI, BsmI, and TaqI polymorphisms, there were no significant results in either Caucasians or Asians under the allele contrast and recessive and dominant models. This meta-analysis indicated that VDR polymorphisms were not a risk factor for PBC. Larger and more carefully designed studies are needed to verify our results.

Susceptibility to hepatocellular carcinoma in the Chinese population--associations with interleukin-6 receptor polymorphism.

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is one of the most deadly malignant diseases in the world. Genetic variations in cytokine genes may have an effect on the immune and inflammatory responses which are associated with HBV-HCC. The interleukin-6 (IL-6) receptor is known to be mainly expressed by hepatocytes, neutrophils, monocytes/macrophages, and some lymphocytes, which have been used as prognostic markers in a variety of inflammatory diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis, asthma, and Crohn's disease. To determine the association of IL-6 receptor (IL-6R) polymorphism with the risk of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) development in the Chinese population, a hospital based case-control study was designed consisting of 192 subjects with HCC and 192 healthy control subjects. Our results revealed no risk associations (p = 0.064) with rs6684439 CT genotypes. However, rs6684439 TT genotypes were associated with a significantly decreased risk of HBV-related HCC compared with the CC genotype (odds ratio (OR) = 0.469, 95 % confidence interval (CI) 0.228-0.967, p = 0.040). The data also revealed that subjects with the T allele appeared to have a lower susceptibility to HBV-related HCC than those with the C allele (OR = 0.657, 95 % CI 0.476-0.907, p = 0.011). The present study supports the view that variants in the rs6684439 SNP of IL-6R is associated with a lower risk of HBV-related HCC, and this could provide valuable clues to understanding the mechanisms underlying susceptibility to this malignant disease. Replication and further functional studies should be carried out in the future using larger samples.

Association of p53 codon 72 polymorphism with prostate cancer: an update meta-analysis.

Many studies have been conducted to explore the association between p53 codon 72 polymorphism and prostate cancer (PCa). However, the results remain inconsistent. Therefore, we performed a large meta-analysis of relevant studies to determine a more precise estimation of this relationship. Systematic searches of the electronic databases PubMed, EMBASE, Cochrane Library, and China National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI) up to October 2013 were performed. Fixed or random-effects meta-analytical models were used to calculate the summary odds ratio (OR) and corresponding 95% confidence intervals (CIs). Meta-regression, Galbraith plots, subgroup analysis, and sensitivity analysis were also performed. The study included 17 case-control studies involving 2,371 PCa cases and 2,854 controls. Our results showed that the p53 codon 72 polymorphism was not associated with PCa risk in all genetic models in the overall populations. When limiting the meta-analysis to the studies conforming to Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium, the pooled analyses showed a significant association between p53 codon 72 polymorphism and PCa in a Caucasian population in co-dominant model Pro/Pro vs. Arg/Arg (OR = 1.57, 95% CI = 1.08-2.28, P = 0.017) and recessive model Pro/Pro vs. (Arg/Pro + Arg/Arg) (OR = 1.60, 95% CI = 1.12-2.27, P = 0.009). In subgroup analysis stratified by PCa stages and Gleason grades, a slight but significant association was found when advanced PCa was compared with localized PCa only in recessive model Pro/Pro vs. (Arg/Pro + Arg/Arg) (OR = 1.51, 95% CI = 1.02-2.23, P = 0.039). This meta-analysis suggested that the Pro/Pro genotype of p53 codon 72 polymorphism was associated with increased prostate cancer risk, especially among Caucasians.

S-1-based therapy versus S-1 monotherapy in advanced gastric cancer: a meta-analysis.

This study aimed to derive a more precise estimate of the prognostic significance of S-1-based therapy over S-1 monotherapy in patients with advanced gastric cancer (AGC), including overall survival (OS) time, progression-free survival (PFS) time, objective response rate (ORR), and adverse events (AEs). Studies stratifying OS, PFS, ORR, and AEs in AGC patients in an S-1-based therapy versus an S-1 monotherapy setting were eligible for analysis by systematic computerized PubMed, Embase and Cochrane Library searches. Data from these studies were pooled using STATA package version 11.0. Six studies that investigated outcomes in a total of 913 AGC cases, of which 443 (48.5%) received S-1-based therapy and 470 (51.5%) received S-1 monotherapy, were included in the meta-analysis. Median OS and median PFS were significantly prolonged in AGC patients receiving S-1-based therapy compared with those receiving S-1 monotherapy (hazard ratio [HR] 0.83, 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.71-0.96, P = 0.015, and HR 0.69, 95% CI 0.60-0.80, P = 0.000, respectively). The ORR favored patients with S-1-based therapy (OR 1.65, 95% CI 1.34-2.06, P = 0.000). Higher incidence of grade 3/4 neutropenia was found in patients with S-1-based therapy (P = 0.000). For the Asian population, S-1-based therapy significantly improved OS and PFS and enhanced ORR in comparison to S-1 monotherapy. The safety profile was poorer in patients with S-1-based therapy, but could be considerable between the S-1-based therapy and S-1 monotherapy group. Our conclusion needs to be confirmed via high-quality trials and the results need to be reproduced in other regions and populations.

LAPTM4B polymorphism increases susceptibility to multiple cancers in Chinese populations: a meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND: Lysosome-associated protein transmembrane-4 beta (LAPTM4B) is a novel cancer-related gene. While recent studies have reported that the LAPTM4B polymorphism increased the susceptibility of several cancers, the results remain inconclusive. Therefore, we performed a meta-analysis to systematically summarize the possible association. RESULTS: The meta-analysis was conducted based on 17 studies in Chinese populations, including 4160 cases and 4148 controls. The relevant studies were searched through electronic databases updated in November 2013. The strength of association between the LAPTM4B polymorphism and susceptibility to multiple cancers was assessed by odds ratio (OR) and 95% confidence interval (95% CI).The meta-analysis results suggested that the LAPTM4B polymorphism was significantly associated with overall susceptibility to multiple cancers in all genetic models (*2 vs. *1, OR = 1.53, 95% CI = 1.37-1.70; *2/2 vs. *1/1, OR = 2.18, 95% CI = 1.72-2.75; *2/1 vs.*1/1, OR = 1.62, 95% CI = 1.41-1.86; *2/1 + *2/2 vs. *1/1, OR = 1.70, 95% CI = 1.47-1.97; *2/2 vs. *2/1 + *1/1, OR = 1.76, 95% CI = 1.50-2.05). Further subgroup analysis revealed a significant association between the LAPTM4B polymorphism and cancer susceptibility in the subgroups stratified by control source, cancer type, histopathologic differentiation, and TNM stage. CONCLUSIONS: This meta-analysis indicated that the LAPTM4B *2 allele was associated with increasing risk of multiple cancers, tumor initiation and development.