We examined the influence of MLH1 c.293G>A, MSH2 c.211 1 9C>G, MSH3 c.3133G>A and EXO1 c.1765G>A polymorphisms, involved in DNA mismatch repair (MMR), on head and neck (HN) squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) risk and prognosis. Aiming to identify genotypes, DNA from 450 HNSCC patients and 450 controls was analyzed by PCR-RFLP or real time PCR. MSH2 GG plus MSH3 GG (31.7% vs. 18.7%, p 5 0.003) genotypes were higher in laryngeal SCC (LSCC) patients than in controls. Carriers of the respective combined genotype were under a 3.69 (95% CI: 1.54-8.81)-fold increased risk of LSCC. Interactions of tobacco and tobacco plus all the above-mentioned polymorphisms on HNSCC and LSCC risk were also evident in study (p 5 0.001). At 60 months of follow-up, relapse-free survival (RFS) was shorter in patients with EXO1 GG genotype (54.8% vs. 61.1%, p 5 0.03) and overall survival (OS) was shorter in patients with MSH3 GG genotype (42.8% vs. 52.5%, p 5 0.02) compared to those with other genotypes, respectively. After multivariate Cox analysis, patients with EXO1 GG and MSH3 GG genotypes had worst RFS (HR: 1.50, 95% CI: 1.03-2.20, p 5 0.03) and OS (HR: 1.59, 95% CI: 1.19-2.13, P 5 0.002) than those with the remaining genotypes, respectively. Our data present, for the first time, evidence that inherited MLH1 c.-93G>A, MSH2 c.211 1 9C>G, MSH3 c.3133G>A, and EXO1 c.1765G>A abnormalities of DNA MMR pathway are important determinants of HNSCC, particularly among smokers, and predictors of patient outcomes.Exposure to tobacco smoke is considered the most important etiological factor in the development of head and neck (HN) squamous cell carcinoma (SCC). 1 Carcinogens present in tobacco, such as benzo(a)pyrene, could bind to DNA from epithelial cells of the upper aerodigestive tract, forming covalent DNA adducts and inducing replication errors, which can be associated with HNSCC origin. 2,3 However, not all smokers develop HNSCC suggesting that individual genetic background may also participate in the tumor etiology. 4 DNA mismatch repair (MMR) pathway contributes to maintain genetic stability. 5 MutL homolog 1 (MLH1), MutS homolog 2 (MSH2), MutS homolog 3 (MSH3) and exonuclease 1 (EXO1) proteins play important roles in this process, recognizing DNA damage induced by carcinogens from tobacco, and enabling its excision. 6,7 The ability to promote DNA repair of damaged cells is variable in humans, since several DNA repair proteins, such as MLH1, MSH2, MSH3 and EXO1, are encoded by polymorphic genes. 8,9 Variant alleles of MLH1 c.293G>A, 10 MSH2 c.211 1 9C>G 11 and EXO1 c.1765G>A 12 single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) reduce the expression of encoded proteins when compared with the respective wild-type alleles, and have decrease in DNA repair as consequence. The role of MSH3 c.3133G>A in protein activity is not totally clarified. 13-15 GG genotype of MLH1 c.293G>A and variant allele A of EXO1 c.1765G>A SNP were associated with increased risk of oral SCC only in India 16 and Taiwan, 17 respectively. To the best of our knowledge, the roles of the ...

Because the liver plays a major role in metabolic homeostasis and secretion of clotting factors and inflammatory innate immune proteins, there is interest in understanding the mechanisms of hepatic cell activation under hyperglycaemia and whether this can be attenuated pharmacologically. We have previously shown that hyperglycaemia stimulates major changes in chromatin organization and metabolism in hepatocytes, and that the histone deacetylase inhibitor valproic acid (VPA) is able to reverse some of these metabolic changes. In this study, we have used RNA-sequencing (RNA-seq) to investigate how VPA influences gene expression in hepatocytes. Interesting, we observed that VPA attenuates hyperglycaemia-induced activation of complement and coagulation cascade genes. We also observe that many of the gene activation events coincide with changes to histone acetylation at the promoter of these genes indicating that epigenetic regulation is involved in VPA action.

No abstract

Breast cancer patients carrying CYP1A1 gene polymorphisms developed less aggressive tumors, but showed no evidence of better prognoses.

OBJECTIVES:We examined the influence of CYP1A1 A4889G and T6235C polymorphisms on the risk of sporadic breast cancer.METHOD:DNA from 742 sporadic breast cancer patients and 742 controls was analyzed using the polymerase chain reaction, followed by the restriction fragment length polymorphism technique.RESULTS:More patients had the CYP1A1 4889AG+GG genotype compared to controls (29.0% versus 23.2%, p=0.004). The G allele carriers had a 1.50-fold increased risk (95% CI: 1.14–1.97) of sporadic breast cancer compared to the other study participants. The frequency of the 4889AG+GG genotype among the Caucasian patients was higher than in the non-Caucasian patients (30.4% versus 20.2%, p=0.03) and controls (30.4% versus 23.2%, p=0.002). Caucasians and G allele carriers had a 1.61-fold increased risk (95% CI: 1.20–2.15) of sporadic breast cancer compared to other subjects. The CYP1A1 4889AG+GG genotype was more common among patients with a younger median age at first full-term pregnancy than among controls (33.8% versus 23.2%, p=0.001) and subjects whose first full-term pregnancies occurred at an older age (33.8% versus 26.1%, p=0.03). Women with the CYP1A1 4889AG+GG genotype and earlier first full-term pregnancies had a 1.87-fold (95% CI: 1.32–2.67) increased risk of sporadic breast cancer compared to the other study participants. Excess CYP1A1 4889AG+GG (39.8% versus 27.1%, p=0.01) and 6235TC+CC (48.4% versus 35.9%, p=0.02) genotypes were also observed in patients with grade I and II tumors compared to patients with grade III tumors and controls (39.8% versus 23.2%, p=0.04; 48.4% versus 38.6%, p=0.04). The G and C allele carriers had a 2.44-fold (95% CI: 1.48–4.02) and 1.67-fold (95% CI: 1.03–2.69) increased risk, respectively, of developing grade I and II tumors compared to other subjects.CONCLUSIONS:The CYP1A1 A4889G and T6235C polymorphisms may alter the risk of sporadic breast cancer in Brazilian women.