Preprint Article Version 1 Preserved in Portico This version is not peer-reviewed

The rs599839 A>G Variant Disentangles Cardiovascular Risk and Hepatocellular Carcinoma in NAFLD Patients

Version 1 : Received: 11 March 2021 / Approved: 15 March 2021 / Online: 15 March 2021 (16:30:15 CET)

A peer-reviewed article of this Preprint also exists.

Meroni, M.; Longo, M.; Paolini, E.; Alisi, A.; Miele, L.; De Caro, E.R.; Pisano, G.; Maggioni, M.; Soardo, G.; Valenti, L.V.; Fracanzani, A.L.; Dongiovanni, P. The rs599839 A>G Variant Disentangles Cardiovascular Risk and Hepatocellular Carcinoma in NAFLD Patients. Cancers 2021, 13, 1783. Meroni, M.; Longo, M.; Paolini, E.; Alisi, A.; Miele, L.; De Caro, E.R.; Pisano, G.; Maggioni, M.; Soardo, G.; Valenti, L.V.; Fracanzani, A.L.; Dongiovanni, P. The rs599839 A>G Variant Disentangles Cardiovascular Risk and Hepatocellular Carcinoma in NAFLD Patients. Cancers 2021, 13, 1783.

Abstract

Background and Aims: Dyslipidemia and cardiovascular diseases (CAD) are comorbidities of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), which ranges from steatosis to hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). The rs599839 A>G variant, in the CELSR2-PSRC1-SORT1 cluster, has been associated CAD, but its impact on metabolic traits and liver damage in NAFLD has not been investigated yet. Methods: We evaluated the effect of the rs599839 variant in 1426 NAFLD patients (Overall cohort) of whom 131 have HCC (NAFLD-HCC), in 500,000 individuals from the UK Biobank Cohort (UKBBC) and in 366 HCC samples from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA). Hepatic PSRC1, SORT1 and CELSR2 expressions were evaluated by RNAseq (n=125). Results: The rs599839 variant was associated with reduced circulating LDL, carotid intima-media thickness, carotid plaques and hypertension (p<0.05) in NAFLD patients and with protection against dyslipidemia in UKBBC. The G allele was associated with higher risk of HCC and advanced tumor stage (p<0.05) in the Overall cohort. Hepatic PSRC1, SORT1 and CELSR2 expressions were increased in NAFLD patients carrying the rs599839 variant (p<0.0001). SORT1 mRNA levels negatively correlated with circulating lipids and with those of genes involved in lipoprotein turnover (p<0.0001). Conversely, PSRC1 expression was positively related to that of genes implicated in cell proliferation (p<0.0001). In TCGA, PSRC1 over-expression promoted more aggressive HCC development (p<0.05). Conclusions: In sum, the rs599839 A>G variant improves dyslipidemia thus protecting against CAD in NAFLD patients, but as one it might promote HCC development by modulating SORT1 and PSRC1 expressions which impact on lipid metabolism and cell proliferation, respectively

Keywords

Lipid metabolism; NAFLD; genetic variants; PSRC1; HCC

Subject

Medicine and Pharmacology, Immunology and Allergy

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