Impacts of WNT1-inducible signaling pathway protein 1 polymorphism on hepatocellular carcinoma development.

Abstract

WNT1-inducible signaling pathway protein 1 (WISP1) is a member of CCN protein family and a downstream target of β-catenin. Aberrant WISP1 expression is associated with carcinogenesis. In the current study, we focused on examining WISP1 single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) to elucidate hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) clinicopathologic characteristics. The WISP1 SNPs rs2977530, rs2977537, rs2929973, rs2929970, rs62514004, and rs16893344 were analyzed by real-time polymerase chain reaction in 332 patients with HCC and 664 cancer-free controls. The patients with higher frequencies of WISP1 rs62514004 (AG + GG) and rs16893344 (CT + TT) variants revealed a lower risk to reach a later clinical stage compared with their wild-type carriers. Furthermore, individuals who carried WISP1 rs62514004 and rs16893344 haplotype G-T showed a greater synergistic effect combined with alcohol drinking on HCC development (AOR = 26.590, 95% CI = 9.780-72.295). Our results demonstrated that the HCC patients with WISP1 SNPs are associated with HCC development, and WISP1 SNPs may serve as markers or therapeutic targets for HCC.