ABSTRACT
OBJECTIVE: Previous studies examining the association between genetic variations in prostaglandin pathway and risk of head and neck cancer (HNC) have only included polymorphisms in the PTGS2 (COX2) gene. This study investigated the association between genetic polymorphisms of six prostaglandin pathway genes (PGDS, PTGDS, PTGES, PTGIS, PTGS1 and PTGS2), and risk of HNC. METHODS: Interviews regarding the consumption of alcohol, betel quid, and cigarette were conducted with 222 HNC cases and 214 controls. Genotyping was performed for 48 tag and functional single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs). RESULTS: Two tag SNPs of PTGIS showed a significant association with HNC risk [rs522962: log-additive odds ratio (OR) = 1.42, 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.01-1.99 and dominant OR = 1.58, 95% CI: 1.02-2.47; rs6125671: log-additive OR = 1.49, 95% CI: 1.08-2.05 and dominant OR = 1.96, 95% CI: 1.16-3.32]. In addition, a region in PTGIS tagged by rs927068 and rs6019902 was significantly associated with risk of HNC (global P = 0.007). Finally, several SNPs interacted with betel quid and cigarette to influence the risk of HNC. CONCLUSIONS: Genetic variations in prostaglandin pathway genes are associated with risk of HNC and may modify the relationship between use of betel quid or cigarette and development of HNC.
Subject(s)
Carcinoma, Squamous Cell/genetics , Carcinoma, Squamous Cell/metabolism , Head and Neck Neoplasms/genetics , Head and Neck Neoplasms/metabolism , Prostaglandins/biosynthesis , Prostaglandins/genetics , Adult , Aged , Aged, 80 and over , Female , Genetic Predisposition to Disease , Genotype , Humans , Male , Middle Aged , Polymorphism, Single Nucleotide , Squamous Cell Carcinoma of Head and Neck , Young AdultABSTRACT
OBJECTIVE: We aimed at studying the role of the most deregulated miR-99a, identifying its downstream targets, and exploring the clinical potential of miR-99a and its target(s) in oral cancer. SUBJECTS AND METHODS: Following confirmation of miR-99a deregulation in nine oral lines and 26 pairwise clinical specimens, miR-99a-manipulated oral cancer cells were subjected to cell proliferation, migration, invasion, and in vivo murine metastasis assays. We characterized putative miR-99a target(s) using luciferase reporter assays and genetic manipulation. The inverse relation of miR-99a and its target(s) was examined in clinical specimens using real-time PCR and Western blot analysis. RESULTS: MiR-99a down-regulation was confirmed both in tested oral cancer cell lines and clinical specimens. Ectopic miR-99a expression inhibited oral cancer cell migration and invasion. Anti-miR-99a, silencing miR-99a functions, had the opposite effect. Myotubularin-related protein 3 (MTMR3) with one evolutionarily conserved seed region in the 3'-untranslated region was a novel miR-99a target. Depleting MTMR3 expression significantly reduced cell proliferation, migration, or invasion. There was an inverse expression of miR-99a and MTMR3 protein in oral cancer lines and clinical specimens. CONCLUSION: miR-99a repressed oral cancer cell migration and invasion partly through decreasing MTMR3 expression. MTMR3 may serve as a therapeutic target for oral cancer treatment.
