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Background: Integrin Subunit Alpha 4 (ITGA4), a member of the integrin protein family, is involved in the progression of malignant tumors. However, its role across different cancer types is not well understood. Methods: Utilizing multi-omics data, we comprehensively evaluated ITGA4's expression, clinical relevance, diagnostic and prognostic value, functions, mutations, and methylation status, along with its impact on immunity, mismatch repair (MMR), heterogeneity, stemness, immunotherapy responsiveness, and drug resistance in pan-cancer, with partial validation in gastric cancer (GC) using transcriptomic analysis, single-cell data, western blot (WB), wound-healing assay, flow cytometry and immunohistochemistry (IHC). We further investigated its correlation with clinicopathology and serological markers on tissues from 80 GC patients. Results: ITGA4 expression was generally low in normal tissues but varied significantly across tumor types, with higher levels in advanced stages and grades. It demonstrated diagnostic value in 20 cancer types and effectively predicted 1-, 3-, and 5-year survival rates as part of a prognostic model. ITGA4 played roles in cell adhesion, migration, immune regulation, and pathways like PI3K-Akt and TSC-mTOR. It showed alterations in 22 cancer types, with methylation at 9 sites inhibiting its expression. ITGA4 positively correlated with immune cell infiltration, immune regulatory genes, chemokines, and might reduce microsatellite instability (MSI) and tumor mutation burden (TMB) by promoting MMR gene expression. It could also predict immunotherapy efficacy and chemotherapy sensitivity. In GC, high ITGA4 expression was related to poor prognosis, promoted tumor proliferation and migration, and enhanced immune cell infiltration. ITGA4 expression was higher in GC cells and tissues than normal ones. Its downregulation inhibited GC cell migration and promoted apoptosis. Moreover, ITGA4 was correlated with N stage, pathological stage, neural and vascular invasion, serum levels of Ki-67, immune cells, CRP and CA125. Conclusion: ITGA4 is a potential biomarker and therapeutic target to enhance cancer treatment and improve patient outcomes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study aims to investigate the role of integrin α4 (ITGA4) in the inhibition of hepatic stellate cells (HSCs) fibrosis by Periplaneta americana extract (PAE), as well as to explore its molecular mechanisms. In vitro experiments utilized TGFβ-induced LX2 and HSC-T6 cells to examine the anti-fibrotic effects of PAE, particularly through ITGA4 overexpression, to elucidate its involvement in PAE-mediated inhibition via the PI3K-AKT signaling pathway. Cell viability was assessed using the CCK-8 method, and the IC50 for PAE was determined through statistical analysis. We evaluated cell proliferation using scratch and EDU assays, and migration capabilities using Transwell assays. Molecular mechanisms were investigated through western blot (WB), quantitative PCR (QPCR), and transcriptome analysis. Results indicate that PAE reduces hepatic fibrosis by curbing hepatic stellate cells (HSCs) proliferation, migration, collagen synthesis, inflammatory cytokine production, and epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT). Additionally, while PAE suppressed ITGA4’s high expression in activated HSCs, ITGA4 overexpression counteracted PAE’s effects on HSC proliferation, migration, and collagen synthesis. These findings demonstrate that PAE primarily mitigates fibrosis in activated HSCs by inhibiting ITGA4, thus delivering anti-fibrotic effects in the liver.

BackgroundIntegrin Subunit Alpha 4 (ITGA4), a member of the integrin protein family, is involved in the progression of malignant tumors. However, its role across different cancer types is not well understood.MethodsUtilizing multi-omics data, we comprehensively evaluated ITGA4’s expression, clinical relevance, diagnostic and prognostic value, functions, mutations, and methylation status, along with its impact on immunity, mismatch repair (MMR), heterogeneity, stemness, immunotherapy responsiveness, and drug resistance in pan-cancer, with partial validation in gastric cancer (GC) using transcriptomic analysis, single-cell data, western blot (WB), wound-healing assay, flow cytometry and immunohistochemistry (IHC). We further investigated its correlation with clinicopathology and serological markers on tissues from 80 GC patients.ResultsITGA4 expression was generally low in normal tissues but varied significantly across tumor types, with higher levels in advanced stages and grades. It demonstrated diagnostic value in 20 cancer types and effectively predicted 1-, 3-, and 5-year survival rates as part of a prognostic model. ITGA4 played roles in cell adhesion, migration, immune regulation, and pathways like PI3K-Akt and TSC-mTOR. It showed alterations in 22 cancer types, with methylation at 9 sites inhibiting its expression. ITGA4 positively correlated with immune cell infiltration, immune regulatory genes, chemokines, and might reduce microsatellite instability (MSI) and tumor mutation burden (TMB) by promoting MMR gene expression. It could also predict immunotherapy efficacy and chemotherapy sensitivity. In GC, high ITGA4 expression was related to poor prognosis, promoted tumor proliferation and migration, and enhanced immune cell infiltration. ITGA4 expression was higher in GC cells and tissues than normal ones. Its downregulation inhibited GC cell migration and promoted apoptosis. Moreover, ITGA4 was correlated with N stage, pathological stage, neural and vascular invasion, serum levels of Ki-67, immune cells, CRP and CA125.ConclusionITGA4 is a potential biomarker and therapeutic target to enhance cancer treatment and improve patient outcomes.

Objective The study was conducted to screen differentially expressed miRNAs in sows at early pregnancy by high-throughput sequencing and explore its mechanism of action on embryo implantation. Methods The blood serum of pregnant and non-pregnant Landrace×Yorkshire sows were collected 14 days after artificial insemination, and exosomal miRNAs were purified for high throughput miRNA sequencing. The expression patterns of 10 differentially expressed (DE) miRNAs were validated by quantitative reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR). The qRT-PCR quantified the abundance of serum exosomal miR-192 in pregnant and control sows, and the diagnostic power was assessed by receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analysis. The target genes of DE miRNAs were predicted with bioinformatics software, and the functional and pathway enrichment analysis was performed on gene ontology and the Kyoto encyclopedia of genes and genomes terms. Furthermore, a luciferase reporter system was used to identify the target relation between miR-192 and integrin alpha 4 (ITGA4), a gene influencing embryo implantation in pigs. Finally, the expression levels of miRNAs and the target gene ITGA4 were analyzed by qRT-PCR, and western blot, with the proliferation of BeWo cells detected by cell counting kit-8 (CCK-8). Results A total of 221 known miRNAs were detected in the libraries of the pregnant and non-pregnant sows, of which 55 were up-regulated and 67 were down-regulated in the pregnant individuals compared with the non-pregnant controls. From these, the expression patterns of 10 DE miRNAs were validated. The qRT-PCR analysis further confirmed a significantly higher expression of miR-192 in the serum exosomes extracted from pregnant sows, when compared to controls. The ROC analysis revealed that miR-192 provided excellent diagnostic accuracy for pregnancy (area under the ROC curve [AUC] = 0.843; p>0.001). The dual-luciferase reporter assay indicated that miR-192 directly targeted ITGA4. The protein expression of ITGA4 was reduced in cells that overexpressed miR-192. Overexpression of miR-192 resulted in the decreased proliferation of BeWo cells and regulated the expression of cell cycle-related genes. Conclusion Serum exosomal miR-192 could serve as a potential biomarker for early pregnancy in pigs. miR-192 targeted ITGA4 gene directly, and miR-192 can regulate cellular proliferation.

The failure of muscle to repair after injury during aging may be a major contributor to muscle mass loss. We recently generated muscle progenitor cells (MPCs) from human-induced pluripotent stem-cell (iPSC) cell lines using small molecules, CHIR99021 and Givinostat (Givi-MPCs) sequentially. Here, we test whether the chemokines overexpressed in injured endothelial cells direct MPC migration to the site by binding to their receptor, ITGA4. ITGA4 was heavily expressed in Givi-MPCs. To study the effects on the mobilization of Givi-MPCs, ITGA4 was knocked down by an ITGA4 shRNA lentiviral vector. With and without ITGA4 knocked down, cell migration in vitro and cell mobilization in vivo using aged NOD scid gamma (NSG) mice and mdx/scid mice were analyzed. The migration of shITGA4-Givi-MPCs was significantly impaired, as shown in a wound-healing assay. The knockdown of ITGA4 impaired the migration of Givi-MPCs towards human aortic endothelial cells (HAECs), in which CX3CL1 and VCAM-1 were up-regulated by the treatment of TNF-α compared with scramble ones using a transwell system. MPCs expressing ITGA4 sensed chemokines secreted by endothelial cells at the injury site as a chemoattracting signal to migrate to the injured muscle. The mobilization of Givi-MPCs was mediated by the ligand–receptor interaction, which facilitated their engraftment for repairing the sarcopenic muscle with injury. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Contemporary studies of Bruton tyrosine kinase inhibitor (BTKi) resistance focus on mutations in the B-cell receptor (BCR) pathway, but alternative mechanisms of resistance remain undefined. Here, we sought to identify novel predictive markers of acquired resistance to acalabrutinib, a second-generation BTKi, in patients with chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL). Clinical samples from 41 patients with relapsed/refractory or treatment-naive CLL receiving acalabrutinib as part of a clinical trial (NCT02029443) were divided into two groups: those who continued to respond to treatment (NP, n = 23) and those who developed progressive disease on acalabrutinib therapy (PD, n = 18). Peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) from the two groups of patients were profiled at baseline (BL) and at a second timepoint (T2) by RNA-seq and flow cytometry. Our findings show a correlation between acquired resistance to acalabrutinib and upregulation of integrin alpha-4 (ITGA4; CD49d), the BCR surface receptor CD79B, and oncogenes such as MYC, LAG3, and MCL1 in CLL cells. High surface expression of CD49d and CD79b prior to acalabrutinib therapy was associated with increased risk of disease progression on acalabrutinib in patients with CLL. When stratified by pretreatment CD49d surface expression, the CD49d hi group (defined as ≥ 30% CD49d+ cells at baseline) showed reduced acalabrutinib-induced lymphocytosis and higher levels of tumor proliferation markers such as CD38 and Ki-67 compared with the CD49d lo group (defined as < 30% CD49d+ cells at baseline). In summary, CD49d and CD79b are useful predictive markers for CLL progression on acalabrutinib. Trial Registration: ClinicalTrials.gov identifier: NCT02029443., (© 2024 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.)

Acute myeloid leukemia (AML) Is an aggressive hematological malignancy that recurs In approximately 50% of cases. Elevated homing and uncontrolled expansion are characteristics of AML cells. Here, we identified that Fifth Ewing Variant (FEV) regulates the homing and expansion of AML cells. We found that FEV was re-expressed in 30% of primary AML samples and in almost all relapsed AML samples, and FEV expression levels were significantly higher in relapsed samples compared to primary samples. Interference of FEV expression in AML cell lines delayed leukemic progression and suppressed homing and proliferation. Moreover, FEV directly activated integrin subunit alpha 4 (ITGA4) transcription in a dose-dependent manner. Inhibition of integrin a4 activity with natalizumab (NZM) reduced the migration and colony-forming abilities of blasts and leukemic-initiating cells (LICs) in both primary and relapsed AML. Thus, our study suggested that FEV maintains the homing and expansion of AML cells by activating ITGA4 transcription and that targeting ITGA4 inhibits the colony-forming and migration capacities of blasts and LICs. Thus, these findings suggested that the FEV-ITGA4 axis may be a therapeutic target for both primary and relapsed AML. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Arsenic and benzo[α]pyrene (BaP) are widespread carcinogens and important etiology factors for lung cancer. Moreover, arsenic and BaP co-exposure displays a significantly stronger effect in inducing lung cancer than arsenic or BaP exposure alone. This study was performed to investigate the basic mechanism of the synergistic carcinogenic effect of arsenic and BaP co-exposure. It was found that integrin α4 (ITGA4) expression levels are significantly up-regulated and the Hedgehog pathway is highly activated in arsenic plus BaP co-exposure-transformed human bronchial epithelial cells. Either ITGA4 downregulation or Hedgehog pathway inhibition in the co-exposure-transformed cells significantly reduced their cancer stem cell (CSC)-like property and tumorigenicity. It was determined that ITGA4 downregulation leads to the inhibition of the Hedgehog pathway activation, which is achieved by increasing suppressor of fused (SUFU) protein stability through reducing the PI3K/Akt signaling. Moreover, stably overexpressing SUFU in the co-exposure-transformed cells significantly reduces their CSC-like property and tumorigenicity. These findings indicate that ITGA4 up-regulation activates the Hedgehog pathway to enhance the CSC-like property and tumorigenicity of arsenic and BaP co-exposure-transformed cells, offering new mechanistic insight for the synergistic carcinogenic effect of arsenic and BaP co-exposure. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Blockade of α4 integrin by antibodies could be an appropriate treatment strategy in multiple sclerosis and Crohn's disease. Considering disadvantages of antibodies, other elements (e.g. aptamers) have been proposed for antibodies replacement. Isolation of aptamers through cell-SELEX (systematic evolution of ligands by exponential enrichment) method requires positive and negative expressing α4 integrin cell lines. For a better isolation, we intended to construct a negative cell line lacking of specific ligand binding site of α4 integrin. Escherichia coli strain top 10 was used for truncated integrin subunit α4 (ITGA-4) expression vector. Human embryonic kidney (HEK)-293T cell was transfected with linearized ITGA-4 plasmid and subsequently screened for stable truncated ITGA-4 expressing cells. Chromosomal DNA of truncated ITGA-4-transfected cells was extracted and the presence of truncated ITGA-4 gene in HEK-293T genome was confirmed by polymerase chain reaction (PCR). The expression level of truncated ITGA-4 on HEK-293T cells was also analysed by real-time PCR and flow cytometry. Real-time PCR and flow cytometric analysis showed significant difference of truncated ITGA-4 expression between untransfected HEK-293T cells compared to transfected cells. The results suggest that we have successfully constructed the truncated integrin α4 expressing HEK-293T cell, which will facilitate further research into the production of antibody, nanobody, and aptamer against α4 integrin.

The aim of the study was to identify the features of the genetic structure of myocardial infarction (MI) susceptibility depending on age ("early MI" denoting individuals who had the first MI before the age of 60 years, and "late MI" the group of patients with the first "MI after 60 years"). A total of 355 patients were examined (n = 121 early MI and n = 234 late MI) and 285 residents of the Siberian region (as a control group). Genotyping of 58 single nucleotide variants (SNPs) was performed using mass spectrometry using the Agena (ex Sequenom) MassARRAY® System. Statistical analysis was performed using Statistica 8.0 ("StatSoft Inc.", USA), as well as the "stats" and "genetics" packages in the R environment. The regulatory potential of SNPs was evaluated using the rSNPBase online service (http://rsnp.psych.ac.cn/). eQTL loci were identified using data from the Genotype-Tissue Expression (GTEx) project (http://www.gtexportal.org/) and the Blood eQTL online service (https://genenetwork.nl/bloodeqtlbrowser/). The GG genotype of ITGA4 rs1143674, the CC genotype of CDKN2B-AS1 rs1333049, and the CC genotype of KIAA1462 rs3739998, are generally associated with MI. The AA genotype of ADAMDEC1 rs3765124 (OR = 2.03; 95% CI 1.23‒3.33; p = 0.004) and the GG genotype of AQP2 rs2878771 (OR = 2.24; 95% CI 1.23‒4.09; p = 0.006) are associated with the development of MI at an early age, and the TT genotype of TAS2R38 rs1726866 (OR = 1.82; 95% CI 1.11‒2.89; p = 0.009) was the high-risk genotype for the late MI. Genetic variants associated with MI are regulatory SNP (rSNP) and affect the affinity of DNA binding to transcription factors, carry out post-transcriptional control of gene activity and change the level of gene expression in various tissues. Thus, early and late MI are based on both common genetic variants of ITGA4, CDKN2B-AS1, KIAA1462 genes and specific ones (ADAMDEC1 and AQP2 for early MI and TAS2R38 for late MI). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Therapeutic potential of mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) has been reported consistently in animal models of stroke, with mechanism mainly through immunomodulation and paracrine activity. Intravenous injection has been a prevailing route for MSCs administration, but cell quantities needed when scaling-up from mouse to human are extremely high putting into question feasibility of that approach. Intra-arterial delivery directly routes the cells to the brain thus lowering the required dose. Cell engineering may additionally improve cell homing, further potentiating the value of intra-arterial route. Therefore, our goal was to create microfluidic platform for screening and fast selection of molecules that enhance the docking of stem cells to vessel wall. We hypothesized that our software will be capable of detecting distinct docking properties of naïve and ITGA4-engineered MSCs. Indeed, the cell flow tracker analysis revealed positive effect of cell engineering on docking frequency of MSCs (42% vs. 9%, engineered vs. control cells, p < 0.001). These observations were then confirmed in an animal model of focal brain injury where cell engineering resulted in improved homing to the brain. To conclude, we developed a platform to study the docking of cells to the vessel wall which is highly relevant for intraarterial cell targeting or studies on neuroinflammation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Integrins are adhesion molecules which play crucial roles in cell-cell and cell-extracellular matrix interactions. Very late antigen-4 or α4β1 and lymphocyte Peyer’s patch adhesion molecule-1 or α4β7, are key factors in the invasion of tumor cells and metastasis. Based on the previous reports, integrin α4 (ITGA4) is overexpressed in some immune disorders and cancers. Thus, inhibition of ITGA4 could be a therapeutic strategy. In the present study, miR-30a was selected in order to suppress ITGA4 expression. The ITGA4 3' UTR was amplified, cloned in the Z2827-M67-(ITGA4) plasmid and named as Z2827-M67/3'UTR. HeLa cells were divided into five groups; (1) untreated without any transfection, (2) mock with Z2827-M67/3'UTR transfection and X-tremeGENE reagent, (3) negative control with Z2827-M67/3'UTR transfection alone, (4) test with miR-30a mimic and Z2827-M67/3'UTR transfection and (5) scramble with miR-30a scramble and Z2827-M67/3'UTR transfection. The MTT assay was performed to evaluate cell survival and cytotoxicity in each group. Real-time RT-PCR was applied for the ITGA4 expression analysis. The findings of this study showed that miR-30a downregulated ITGA4 expression and had no effect on the cell survival. Due to the silencing effect of miR-30a on the ITGA4 gene expression, this agent could be considered as a potential tool for cancer and immune disorders therapy.

Human Wharton’s jelly mesenchymal stem cells (hWJSCs) are multipotent stem cells that could be aggregated into 3D spherules. ITGA4 and ITGA5 genes encode α4 and α5 subunits of integrins, respectively. In this study, we analyzed expression levels of ITGA4 and ITGA5 gene mRNAs in undifferentiated and 3D spherules forming hWJSCs in order to determine their expression pattern for possible future treatment of cancer cells in a co-culture fashion. For the purpose of obtaining hWJSCs, umbilical cords were collected from patients with caesarian section at full term delivery. The cells were then characterized according to cell surface markers using flow cytometry. Furthermore pluripotency of the obtained cells was verified. Subsequently the cells were aggregated in 3D spherules using hanging drop cultures. Expression levels of ITGA4 and ITGA5 gene mRNAs were determined by RT-PCR and Real time PCR, both in the initial undifferentiated cells and those aggregated in the spherules. The obtained hWJSCs demonstrated pluripotency, differentiating to adipogenic and osteogenic cells. They also expressed mesenchymal stem cell surface markers. Following the aggregation of these cells and formation of 3D spherules, mRNA expression levels of both genes were significantly reduced (P < 0.05) compared with the initial undifferentiated state. The results of this study demonstrated that aggregation of hWJSCs into spherules alters their expression of ITGA4 and ITGA5. The implications of such an alteration would require further research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: The molecular mechanisms for the dissemination and metastasis of gastrointestinal stromal tumours (GIST) are incompletely understood. The purpose of the study was to investigate the clinical relevance of integrin alpha 4 (ITGA4) expression in GIST. GIST transcriptomes were first compared with transcriptomes of other types of cancer and histologically normal gastrointestinal tract tissue in the MediSapiens in silico database. ITGA4 was identified as an unusually highly expressed gene in GIST. Therefore, the effects of ITGA4 knock‐down and selective integrin alpha 4 beta 1 (VLA‐4) inhibitors on tumour cell proliferation and invasion were investigated in three GIST cell lines. In addition, the prognostic role of ITGA4 expression in cancer cells was investigated in a series of 147 GIST patients with immunohistochemistry. Inhibition of ITGA4‐related signalling decreased GIST cell invasion in all investigated GIST cell lines. ITGA4 protein was expressed in 62 (42.2%) of the 147 GISTs examined, and expression was significantly associated with distant metastases during the course of the disease and several adverse prognostic features. Patients whose GIST expressed strongly ITGA4 had unfavourable GIST‐specific survival and overall survival compared to patients with low or no ITGA4 expression. Taken together, ITGA4 is an important integrin in the molecular pathogenesis of GIST and may influence their clinical behaviour. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Integrins are adhesion molecules which play crucial roles in cell-cell and cell-extracellular matrix interactions. Very late antigen-4 or α4β1 and lymphocyte Peyer's patch adhesion molecule-1 or α4β7, are key factors in the invasion of tumor cells and metastasis. Based on the previous reports, integrin α4 (ITGA4) is overexpressed in some immune disorders and cancers. Thus, inhibition of ITGA4 could be a therapeutic strategy. In the present study, miR-30a was selected in order to suppress ITGA4 expression. The ITGA4 3' UTR was amplified, cloned in the Z2827-M67-(ITGA4) plasmid and named as Z2827- M67/3'UTR. HeLa cells were divided into five groups; (1) untreated without any transfection, (2) mock with Z2827-M67/3'UTR transfection and X-tremeGENE reagent, (3) negative control with Z2827-M67/3'UTR transfection alone, (4) test with miR-30a mimic and Z2827-M67/3'UTR transfection and (5) scramble with miR-30a scramble and Z2827-M67/3'UTR transfection. The MTT assay was performed to evaluate cell survival and cytotoxicity in each group. Real-time RT-PCR was applied for the ITGA4 expression analysis. The findings of this study showed that miR-30a downregulated ITGA4 expression and had no effect on the cell survival. Due to the silencing effect of miR-30a on the ITGA4 gene expression, this agent could be considered as a potential tool for cancer and immune disorders therapy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The genetic structure of susceptibility to type 1 diabetes (T1D) in the population of Tomsk was studied. We had a group of T1D patients ( N = 285) and a population sample ( N = 300) and we studied 58 SNPs localized in the 47 genes which products are involved in various metabolic pathways and processes as fibrogenesis, endothelial dysfunction, and inflammation. Genotyping was performed by mass spectrometry using the Sequenom MassARRAY system (United States). We compared the group of T1D patients and the population sample and found an association with the predisposition to disease for seven markers: rs3765124 of the ADAMDEC1 gene, genotype AA ( p = 0.004), allele A ( p = 0.033); rs1007856 of the ITGB5 gene, genotype TT ( p = 0.015), allele T ( p = 0.036); rs20579 of the LIG1 gene, genotype CC ( p = 0.004), allele C ( p = 0.002); rs12980602 of the IFNL2 gene, allele C ( p = 0.029); rs4986819 of the PARP4 gene, allele C ( p = 0.044); rs1143674 of the ITGA4 gene genotype GG ( p = 0.002); rs679620 of the MMP3 gene, genotype AA ( p = 0.008). Thus, the products of genes associated with T1D belong to different molecular classes: metalloproteases ( ADAMDEC1, MMP3), cytokines ( IL28A), cell surface receptors ( ITGA4), adhesion molecules ( ITGB5), DNA ligases ( LIG1), and ribosyltransferase enzymes ( PARP4). The ADAMDEC1, ITGA4, and ITGB5 genes belong to two biological processes: cell communication and signal transduction. The LIG1 and PARP4 genes regulate the metabolism of nucleic acids, MMP3 is involved in the regulation of protein metabolism, and the IFNL2 is involved in the immune response. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

CD44, a cell-surface receptor and a key player in cellular signaling, can act as both tumor suppressor and promoter. This study aimed to investigate the association of CD44 rs13347C>T variants with prostate neoplasms, including both benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) and prostate cancers using a case-control and bioinformatics approach. Genomic DNA was extracted from 545 blood samples (225 BPH, 225 prostate cancers, and 95 control) and the CD44 rs13347C>T genotypes were identified using PCR-RFLP. We explored miRNA interactions using the miRNASNP-v3 database and GeneMANIA for co-expression networks. Results showed cancer patients had significantly higher PSA levels compared to both controls (p= 0.03) and BPH (p= 0.01). Additionally, digital rectal examination-positive and smoker BPH patients showed significantly the increased cancer risk (p= 0.004, p= 0.046). Prostate cancer group indicated significantly higher frequency of CD44 rs13347C>T mutant allele compared to control and BPH groups, particularly in TT and CT+TT genotypes (p < 0.05). miRNA SNP-v3 database predicted the mutant allele of CD44 rs13347C>T could lose 1 and gain 6 miRNAs for a new site created. Co-expression analysis revealed a direct interaction between CD44 and aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AHR), a gene known to be dysregulated in smokers. Furthermore, these genes alone display co-expression interactions with integrin subunit alpha 4 (ITGA4), protein plays a paradoxical role, both suppressing and promoting tumors. Based on the findings, the mutant allele of CD44 rs13347C>T may disrupt miRNA binding, which may potentially impact CD44, AHR, and ITGA4 expression in smokers, possibly contributing to prostate cancer progression., (© The Author(s).)

Abstract: Integrin epitopes encoded by ITGA4 exons 5 and 6 encompass the α4β7 binding site to natural ligands and HIV-1 gp120. Functional assays of α4 variants of new world primates (NWP) showed reduced binding of several ligands, including the HIV-1 envelope, probably accounting for restriction phenotypes conferring resistance to lentiviral infection (). In this paper, we have analyzed, by cloning and sequencing, the α4 domain polymorphisms present in 10 NWP species and four old world primates (including human). Analyses of differential selection at codon sites and along evolutionary lineages were carried out. We identified codons under positive selection, including polymorphic variations at codon 201, presumably convergent during NWP radiation and significant positive selection leading to a single allele (SagVar2). [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: In multiple sclerosis (MS), α4β1 integrin, also known as Very Late Antigen 4 (VLA4), facilitates migration of leukocytes across the blood brain barrier. Several studies suggest that expression of α4 integrin may be increased in MS patients compared to controls, and down-regulation or antagonism of α4 integrin may be associated with immunomodulatory treatment success. We analysed association of 13 single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in the gene encoding α4 integrin (ITGA4) with susceptibility to MS in two distinct populations comprising cases and controls from the Basque Country in northern Spain (352 patients; 235 controls) and Nordic countries (1119 patients; 1235 controls). Carriage of the C allele of the ITGA4 promoter SNP rs1449263 was independently and weakly increased in MS patients from each population compared to respective controls (P =0.037 in Basque; and P =0.042 in Nordic cohorts), though these associations were lost upon application of permutation correction. Meta-analysis of rs1449263⁎C carriage revealed a Mantel-Haenszel common OR of 1.26 (95% CI 1.06–1.49; P =0.0069). Though our data only modestly argue for a role of ITGA4 in determining susceptibility to MS, we suggest that further examination of this gene, particularly the promoter region, is warranted. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Objectives: To study associations between genes of different functional classes, including fibrogenesis genes, with coronary atherosclerosis and specific features of its course., Methods: We included in this study 404 patients with confirmed chronic ischemic heart disease (IHD) who had undergone coronary artery bypass grafting. Two groups of participants were distinguished - those with (n=188) and without (n=216) history of myocardial infarction (MI). Control group consisted of inhabitants of the Siberia region (n=285). Associations were analyzed using 48 single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNP) located in genes earlier determined as associated with diseases of the cardiovascular continuum (diabetes mellitus, MI, atherosclerosis). Multiplex genotyping was performed using mass spectrometry. For statistical analyses we used Statistica v8.0 and R-language with "stats" and "genetics" packages., Results: We identified several genetic markers contributing to susceptibility to development of atherosclerosis. Same markers were identified as determinants of the character of the course of atherosclerotic disease. Risk of development of atherosclerosis was higher in carriers of the following genotypes: TT of ITGB5 gene (rs1007856) - by 1.6 times (OR=1.59; р=0.0153); GG of ITGA4 gene - by 1.85 times (OR=1.85; р=0.0016); GG of IGFBP7 gene (rs11133482) - by 2.4 times (OR=2.36; р=0.0031). The following genotypes were identified as protective against MI and determining stable course of the disease: AA of TLR4 gene (rs4986790) (OR=0.47; р=0.0104).; CC of LDLR gene (rs2738446) (OR=0,53; р=0.0041); GG of OAS1 gene (rs1131454) (OR=0.50; р=0.0274)., Conclusion: Susceptibility to coronary atherosclerosis and prognosis of disease progression were found to be associated with polymorphism of certain genes, involved in metabolism of the extracellular matrix and processes of fibrogenesis (ADAMDEC1, ITGA4, ITGB5, CDKN2B-AS1, IGFBP7), lipid metabolism (LDLR), immune system functioning (TLR4, OAS1) and DNA repair (LIG1).

Gastric cancer is one of the most common malignancies and remains the second leading cause of cancer-related death worldwide. Over 70% of new cases and deaths occur in developing countries. In the early years of the molecular biology revolution, cancer research mainly focuses on genetic alterations, including gastric cancer. Epigenetic mechanisms are essential for normal development and maintenance of tissue-specific gene expression patterns in mammals. Disruption of epigenetic processes can lead to altered gene function and malignant cellular transformation. Recent advancements in the rapidly evolving field of cancer epigenetics have shown extensive reprogramming of every component of the epigenetic machinery in cancer, including DNA methylation, histone modifications, nucleosome positioning, noncoding RNAs, and microRNAs. Aberrant DNA methylation in the promoter regions of gene, which leads to inactivation of tumor suppressor and other cancer-related genes in cancer cells, is the most well-defined epigenetic hallmark in gastric cancer. The advantages of gene methylation as a target for detection and diagnosis of cancer in biopsy specimens and non-invasive body fluids such as serum and gastric washes have led to many studies of application in gastric cancer. This review focuses on the most common and important phenomenon of epigenetics, DNA methylation, in gastric cancer and illustrates the impact epigenetics has had on this field., (Copyright © 2013 The Authors. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)