HLA-G high-expressor 3'UTR markers are linked to gastric cancer development and survival.

Gastric cancer ranks fifth in both world prevalence and lethality, with a 5-year survival of less than 30%. HLA-G, a non-classical class I HLA gene, has emerged as a potential marker for cancer susceptibility and prognosis due to its immunomodulatory properties. Its level of expression is regulated by polymorphisms in the 3' untranslated region (3'UTR) polymorphisms, which form various combined haplotypes (UTR-1 to -9). In this study, we examined HLA-G 3'UTR polymorphisms in paired tissue samples from 111 patients with gastric adenocarcinoma and 119 healthy controls. Polymorphism analysis was performed using PCR and Sanger sequencing, followed by statistical analysis using SNPStats software. Survival analysis was conducted using Kaplan-Meier curves and multivariate Cox regression models. High-expressor HLA-G 3'UTR haplotypes (UTR-1 and UTR-6) were significantly associated with gastric cancer susceptibility, indicating a potential role in tumor immune evasion. Additionally, the 14 base pair insertion/deletion polymorphism (14 bp I/D) emerged as a prognostic marker, with D/D genotype carriers showing lower survival rates compared to I/D and I/I genotype carriers. Our study highlights the clinical relevance of HLA-G polymorphisms in gastric cancer, suggesting their potential as prognostic markers and therapeutic targets. Further elucidation of HLA-G-related pathways could lead to personalized treatment strategies and improved patient outcomes in gastric cancer.
Competing Interests: Declarations Conflict of interest The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest. Human and animal rights The studies involving human participants were reviewed and approved by Comité ético de investigación clínica, Hospital Clínico San Carlos, Madrid, Spain. The patients/participants provided their written informed consent to participate in this study. Informed consent The study was performed in accordance with the ethical standards as laid down in the Declarations of Helsinki and approved by the local ethics committee. Written informed consent was obtained from all subjects.
(© 2024. The Author(s).)