Low BIN3 Expression is an Independent Predictor of Unfavorable Survival in Patients With Primary Colorectal Cancer

This study aimed to explore the mechanisms of bridging integrator-3 dysregulation, its prognostic value, and related signaling pathways in colorectal cancer . Bioinformatic analysis was performed based on the data from The Cancer Genome Atlas–colorectal cancer and Human Protein Atlas. Colorectal cancer cell lines, LoVo and HT29 cells, were used as in vitro cell model to assess the effect of demethylation on bridging integrator-3 expression. Results showed that bridging integrator-3 was downregulated in colorectal cancer tissues compared to normal colon and rectum tissues. Heatmap of bridging integrator-3 messenger RNA expression, exon expression, and DNA methylation indicated a negative correlation between bridging integrator-3 expression and methylation of some CpG sites within the coding sequence. Demethylation treatment significantly increased bridging integrator-3 expression in LoVo and HT29 cells. Low bridging integrator-3 messenger RNA and exon expression were associated with significantly worse overall survival (P = .015 and .013, respectively). Multivariate analysis confirmed that low bridging integrator-3 messenger RNA expression was an independent prognostic factor of unfavorable overall survival (Hazard Ratio (HR) = 1.596, 95% confidence interval: 1.024-2.486; P = .039). High bridging integrator-3 DNA methylation was also associated with significantly worse overall survival (P = .013). Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes analysis indicated that the genes correlated with bridging integrator-3 (absolute Pearson r ≥ 0.3, n = 121) were enriched in sphingolipid signaling pathway, natural killer cell-mediated cytotoxicity, p53 signaling pathway, and apoptosis. Based on these findings, we infer that DNA hypermethylation might be an important mechanism of suppressed bridging integrator-3 expression in colorectal cancer . Its low expression is an independent predictor of unfavorable survival in patients with primary colorectal cancer . Bridging integrator-3 might act as a tumor suppressor via modulating natural killer cell-mediated cytotoxicity, p53 signaling pathway, and apoptosis.