Expression of Egfl7 correlates with low-grade invasive lesions in human breast cancer.

Egfl7 (VE-statin) is specifically expressed by endothelial cells of normal tissues but its expression is deregulated in human cancers. Analysis of expression of Egfl7 protein and transcripts in 211 human breast cancer samples shows that Egfl7 is strongly expressed by breast tumor cells. Egfl7 expression is significantly higher in invasive ductal than in invasive lobular carcinoma. Expression of Egfl7 transcripts is also higher in lower SBR grade lesions and in lesions which are not associated with lymph node invasion. Within the invasive ductal carcinoma sub-population, expression of Egfl7 transcripts is correlated with the SBR score and with the ER+ status. High transcript and Egfl7 protein levels significantly correlate with the absence of axillary lymph node invasion. In lymph nodes, the levels of Egfl7 are correlated with the histological type of the primary lesions; they are higher in ductal than in lobular carcinoma. Egfl7 expression is thus associated with better prognosis factors and with the absence of lymph node invasion in human breast cancer lesions.

Egfl7 promotes tumor escape from immunity by repressing endothelial cell activation.

Downregulating the leukocyte adhesion molecules expressed by endothelial cells that line tumor blood vessels can limit the entry of immune effector cells into the tumor mass, thereby contributing to tumoral immune escape. Egfl7 (also known as VE-statin) is a secreted protein specifically expressed by endothelial cells in normal tissues and by cancer cells in various human tumors. High levels of Egfl7 correlate with higher tumor grade and poorer prognosis. Here we show that expression of Egfl7 in breast and lung carcinoma cells accelerates tumor growth and metastasis in immunocompetent mice but not in immunodeficient mice. Tumors expressing Egfl7 were infiltrated relatively poorly by immune cells and were characterized by reduced levels of immunostimulatory cytokines [IFN-γ, interleukin-12 (IL-12)] and fewer endothelial adhesion molecules [intercellular adhesion molecule 1 (ICAM-1) and vascular cell adhesion molecule 1 (VCAM-1)]. In vitro studies revealed that Egfl7 inhibited the expression of leukocyte adhesion molecules by endothelial cells, preventing lymphocyte adhesion. In contrast, Egfl7 did not exert any effects on immune cell activation. Human breast cancer lesions expressing high levels of Egfl7 also expressed less ICAM-1 and VCAM-1 in their blood vessels, also indicating an inverse correlation between expression levels of Egfl7 and IFN-γ. Thus, Egfl7 expression in tumors promotes tumor progression by reducing the expression of endothelial molecules that mediate immune cell infiltration. Our findings highlight a novel mechanism through which tumors escape immune control.

VE-statin/egfl7 expression in endothelial cells is regulated by a distal enhancer and a proximal promoter under the direct control of Erg and GATA-2.

Angiogenesis is the process by which new blood vessels arise from existing ones by the budding out of endothelial cell capillaries from the luminal side of blood vessels. Blood vessel formation is essential for organ development during embryogenesis and is associated with several physiological and pathological processes, such as wound healing and tumor development. The VE-statin/egfl7 gene is specifically expressed in endothelial cells during embryonic development and in the adult. We studied here the regulatory mechanisms that control this tissue-specific expression. RT-qPCR analyses showed that the specificity of expression of VE-statin/egfl7 in endothelial cells is not shared with its closest neighbor genes notch1 and agpat2 on the mouse chromosome 2. Chromatin-immunoprecipitation analysis of histone modifications at the VE-statin/egfl7 locus showed that the chromatin is specifically opened in endothelial cells, but not in fibroblasts at the transcription start sites. A 13 kb genomic fragment of promoter was cloned and analyzed by gene reporter assays which showed that two conserved regions are important for the specific expression of VE-statin/egfl7 in endothelial cells; a -8409/-7563 enhancer and the -252/+38 region encompassing the exon-1b transcription start site. The latter contains essential GATA and ETS-binding sites, as assessed by linker-scanning analysis and site-directed mutagenesis. An analysis of expression of the ETS and GATA transcription factors showed that Erg, Fli-1 and GATA-2 are the most highly expressed factors in endothelial cells. Erg and GATA-2 directly control the expression of the endogenous VE-statin/egfl7 while Fli-1 probably exerts an indirect control, as assessed by RNA interference and chromatin immunoprecipitation. This first detailed analysis of the mechanisms that govern the expression of the VE-statin/egfl7 gene in endothelial cells pinpoints the specific importance of ETS and GATA factors in the specific regulation of genes in this cell lineage.

Genetic study of the melanin-concentrating hormone receptor 2 in childhood and adulthood severe obesity.

CONTEXT: The melanin-concentrating hormone receptor 2 (MCHR2) is a G protein-coupled receptor for melanin-concentrating hormone, a neuropeptide that plays an important role in feeding behaviors. MCHR2 maps on chromosome 6q16.3, in a susceptibility locus for childhood obesity. OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to investigate the association between MCHR2 variation and human obesity. DESIGN: Case control and family-based studies were performed. PARTICIPANTS: A total of 141 obese children and 24 nonobese adult subjects was sequenced, and case-control analyses were conducted using 628 severely obese children and 1,401 controls. RESULTS: There were 11 single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) identified. We showed nominal association among -38,245 ATG A/G SNP (P = 0.03; 95% confidence interval 1.02-1.34; odds ratio 1.17), A76A T/C SNP (P = 0.03; 95% confidence interval 0.58-0.97; odds ratio 0.75), and childhood obesity. Analysis of 645 trios with childhood obesity supported further the A76A T/C association, showing an overtransmission to obese children of the at risk T allele (59.0%; P = 0.01), especially in children with most severe forms of obesity (Z score of body mass index > 4) (67.0%; P = 0.003). The A76A at risk T allele was also associated with overeating during meals (P = 0.02) in an additional group of 102 nonobese children. None of the MCHR2 variants, including the A76A SNP, showed association with adult severe obesity, although a trend for association of the T allele of this variant with food disinhibition (P = 0.06) and higher hunger (P = 0.09) was found. This variant was not associated with childhood obesity in an independent case-control study, including 1,573 subjects (P = 0.98). Moreover, the A76A SNP did not explain the linkage on the 6q locus. CONCLUSION: Our results altogether suggest that MCHR2 is not a major contributor to polygenic obesity and support a modest effect of the A76A SNP on food intake abnormalities in childhood.

Comment on "A common genetic variant is associated with adult and childhood obesity".

Herbert et al. (Reports, 14 April 2006, p. 279) reported an association between the INSIG2 gene variant rs7566605 and obesity in four sample populations, under a recessive model. We attempted to replicate this result in 10,265 Caucasian individuals, combining family-based, case-control, and general population studies, but found no support for a major role of this variant in obesity.

Transcription factor TCF7L2 genetic study in the French population: expression in human beta-cells and adipose tissue and strong association with type 2 diabetes.

Recently, the transcription factor 7-like 2 (TCF7L2) gene has been associated with type 2 diabetes in subjects of European origin in the DeCode study. We genotyped the two most associated variants (rs7903146 and rs12255372) in 2,367 French type 2 diabetic subjects and in 2,499 control subjects. Both the T-allele of rs7903146 and the T-allele of rs12255372 significantly increase type 2 diabetes risk with an allelic odds ratio (OR) of 1.69 (95% CI 1.55-1.83) (P = 6.0 x 10(-35)) and 1.60 (1.47-1.74) (P = 7.6 x 10(-28)), respectively. In nonobese type 2 diabetic subjects (BMI <30 kg/m2, n = 1,346), the ORs increased to 1.89 (1.72-2.09) (P = 2.1 x 10(-38)) and 1.79 (1.62-1.97) (P = 5.7 x 10(-31)), respectively. The rs7903146 T at-risk allele associates with decreased BMI and earlier age at diagnosis in the type 2 diabetic subjects (P = 8.0 x 10(-3) and P = 3.8 x 10(-4), respectively), which is supported by quantitative family-based association tests. TCF7L2 is expressed in most human tissues, including mature pancreatic beta-cells, with the exception of the skeletal muscle. In the subcutaneous and omental fat from obese type 2 diabetic subjects, TCF7L2 expression significantly decreased compared with obese normoglycemic individuals. During rat fetal beta-cell differentiation, TCF7L2 expression pattern mimics the key marker NGN3 (neurogenin 3), suggesting a role in islet development. These data provide evidence that TCF7L2 is a major determinant of type 2 diabetes risk in European populations and suggests that this transcription factor plays a key role in glucose homeostasis.

Association of melanin-concentrating hormone receptor 1 5' polymorphism with early-onset extreme obesity.

Murine models have been highly effective in identifying the monogenic forms of human obesity discovered to date. Melanin-concentrating hormone receptor 1 (MCHR1) has been shown to be significant in the downstream orexigenic activity of the leptin-melanocortin pathway by such models. In this study, the human MCHR1 gene was extensively characterized by sequencing 3.5 kb of coding, untranslated and intronic regions plus 1 kb of putative promoter region in 180 morbidly obese adults and 87 morbidly obese children, a total of >2.4 Mb of sequencing. Thirty-nine single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) were found, seven of which encode an amino acid change. One mutation, R248Q, appeared to cosegregate with the obesity trait in one pedigree but was also found to be a rare polymorphism in control samples. To investigate the possible polygenic role of MCHR1, the six common SNPs (minor allele frequency >5%) found in the sequenced regions were then screened in 557 morbidly obese adults, 552 obese children, and 1,195 nonobese nondiabetic control subjects. The plausible promoter SNP, rs133068, was found to be associated with protection against obesity in obese children only (allele frequency P = 0.006 and genotype frequency P = 0.004). Most significant results were found when using a dominant model (P = 0.001, odds ratio 0.695 [95% CI 0.560-0.863]). However, similar associations were found when both adults and children were analyzed together (P = 0.006, 0.783 [0.658-0.930]), suggesting that severe forms of obesity with early onset may be associated with SNPs in MCHR1.

Variants of ENPP1 are associated with childhood and adult obesity and increase the risk of glucose intolerance and type 2 diabetes.

We identified a locus on chromosome 6q16.3-q24.2 (ref. 1) associated with childhood obesity that includes 2.4 Mb common to eight genome scans for type 2 diabetes (T2D) or obesity. Analysis of the gene ENPP1 (also called PC-1), a candidate for insulin resistance, in 6,147 subjects showed association between a three-allele risk haplotype (K121Q, IVS20delT-11 and A-->G+1044TGA; QdelTG) and childhood obesity (odds ratio (OR) = 1.69, P = 0.0006), morbid or moderate obesity in adults (OR = 1.50, P = 0.006 or OR = 1.37, P = 0.02, respectively) and T2D (OR = 1.56, P = 0.00002). The Genotype IBD Sharing Test suggested that this obesity-associated ENPP1 risk haplotype contributes to the observed chromosome 6q linkage with childhood obesity. The haplotype confers a higher risk of glucose intolerance and T2D to obese children and their parents and associates with increased serum levels of soluble ENPP1 protein in children. Expression of a long ENPP1 mRNA isoform, which includes the obesity-associated A-->G+1044TGA SNP, was specific for pancreatic islet beta cells, adipocytes and liver. These findings suggest that several variants of ENPP1 have a primary role in mediating insulin resistance and in the development of both obesity and T2D, suggesting that an underlying molecular mechanism is common to both conditions.