Genetic variants of dipeptidyl peptidase IV are linked to the clinicopathologic development of prostate cancer

CD26/dipeptidyl peptidase IV (DPP4) is a multifunctional cell-surface glycoprotein widely found in many cell types, and a soluble form is present in body fluids. There is longstanding evidence indicating a tumour-promoting or -suppressive role of DPP4 in different cancer types. However, studies focusing on the impacts of genetic variants of DPP4 on cancers are very rare. Herein, we conducted a case–control study to evaluate whether single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) of DPP4 were associated with the risk or clinicopathologic development of prostate cancer (PCa). We genotyped four loci of DPP4 SNPs, including rs7608798 (A/G), rs3788979 (C/T), rs2268889 (T/C) and rs6741949 (G/C), using a TaqMan allelic discrimination assay in 704 PCa patients and 704 healthy controls. Our results showed that PCa patients with the DPP4 rs7608798 AG+GG genotype or rs2268889 TC+CC genotype had a higher risk of developing an advanced clinical primary tumour (cT) stage (adjusted odds ratio (AOR): 1.680, 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.062–2.659, p = 0.025; AOR: 1.693, 95% CI: 1.092–2.624, p = 0.018). Additionally, in The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) database, we observed that lower DPP4 expression levels were correlated with higher Gleason scores, advanced cT and pathological stages, tumour metastasis, and shorter progression-free survival rates in PCa patients. Furthermore, overexpression of DPP4 suppressed migration/invasion of metastatic PC3 PCa cells. Our findings suggest that DPP4 levels may affect the progression of PCa, and the DPP4 rs7608798 and rs2268889 SNPs are associated with the clinicopathologic development of PCa in a Taiwanese population.