The role of FOXP3 rs3761548 and rs2294021 polymorphisms in pediatrics acute lymphoblastic leukemia: association with risk and response to therapy

FOXP3 X-linked gene has crucial roles in the development and function of regulatory T cells. We investigated the association of FOXP3 rs3761548, rs3761549 and rs2294021 single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) with acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) susceptibility and response to therapy. Genotyping was performed in 247 patients and 210 healthy subjects. We observed a higher frequency of rs3761548 A carriers and rs2294021 C carriers (p?<?0.04) in male patients, and lower frequencies of rs3761548 AC genotype (p?=?0.04) and rs2294021 CT genotype (p?=?0.01) in female patients compared to controls. ACC (p?=?0.04) and ATC haplotypes (p?=?0.002) were associated with susceptibility to ALL. There was a significant correlation between the genotypes of rs3761548 and rs2294021 SNPs with event-free survival (EFS) and overall survival (OS). The rs3761548 A genotype in male patients was associated with increased risk of relapse (p?<?0.0001), shorter EFS, increased death rate (p?=?0.002) and shorter OS compared to C genotype (p?=?0.001). Similar significant results were observed for the relation of rs2294021 C genotype with response to therapy in male patients. In females, patients with rs3761548 AC genotype had longer EFS (p?=?0.02) and those with rs2294021 CT had longer EFS and OS (p?<?0.005). According to haplotype analysis, patients carrying ACC or ATC haplotypes had the highest number of WBCs and shorter EFS or OS, and patients with CCT haplotype had the lowest number of WBCs and longer EFS or OS. These results provided evidence for the impact of these polymorphisms on susceptibility and response to therapy in children with ALL.

     

Association of excision repair cross-complimentary group 1 gene polymorphisms with breast and ovarian cancer susceptibility

The role of excision repair cross-complimentary group 1 (ERCC1) gene polymorphisms in breast and ovarian cancer development has long been controversial and existing data were inconsistent. Here, we conducted a comprehensive meta-analysis to better clarify the association. Case-control studies published from December 2008 to November 2018 were assessed. The statistical analyses of the pooled odds ratios (ORs) and the corresponding 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were calculated. Fifteen articles with 24 case-control studies and 3 ERCC1 polymorphisms were enrolled. A total of 20 923 participants including 9896 cases and 11 027 controls were analyzed. The results showed that C to T variation in the ERCC1 rs11615 (C/T) polymorphisms was correlated with breast cancer susceptibility (T vs C: OR = 1.19, 95% CI = 1.02-1.38; TT + CT vs CC: OR = 1.24, 95% CI = 1.12-1.36). ERCC1 rs3212986 (C/A) polymorphisms posed an increased risk for breast and ovarian cancer as whole (A vs C: OR = 1.12, 95% CI = 1.01-1.25; AA + CA vs CC: OR = 1.11, 95% CI = 1.02-1.22), and presented especially higher risk for ovarian cancer (A vs C: OR = 1.31, 95% CI = 1.05-1.63; AA vs CA + CC: OR = 1.66, 95% CI = 1.12-2.47; AA vs CC: OR = 1.72, 95% CI = 1.12-2.64). Meanwhile, neither overall group analyses nor stratified analyses displayed any association of ERCC1 rs2298881 (A/C) polymorphisms in breast and ovarian cancer susceptibility. This meta-analysis suggested that ERCC1 rs11615 (C/T) polymorphisms were associated with breast cancer susceptibility and rs3212986 (C/A) polymorphisms were especially correlated with ovarian cancer risk. More case-control studies with well-adjusted data and diverse populations are essential for validation of our conclusion.     

Association between CASP3 polymorphisms and overall cancer risk: A meta-analysis of case-control studies

Several studies inspected the relationship between caspase-3 (CASP3) polymorphisms and the risk of several human cancers, but the findings remain controversial. We conducted a meta-analysis aiming to inspect the association between CASP3 rs1049216 T>C, rs12108497 C>T, rs4647603 G>A, rs4647602 C>A, rs6948 T>G, rs2705897 A>C, and rs113420705 G>A polymorphisms and cancer risk. Eligible studies were recognized by searching the Web of Science, PubMed, Scopus, and Google Scholar databases. Pooled odds ratios (ORs) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were estimated to quantitatively evaluate the association between each polymorphism of CASP3 and cancer risk. The rs4647603 variant significantly increased the risk of cancer in an overdominant (OR, 1.44; 95% CI, 1.03-2.01; P = 0.03; AG vs AA+GG) inheritance model. Regarding the rs4647602 variant, the findings revealed that this variant was associated with protection against cancer in homozygous codominant (OR, 0.67; 95% CI, 0.56-0.80; P < 0.00001; AA vs CC), dominant (OR, 0.84; 95% CI, 0.73-0.96; P = 0.009; AC+AA vs CC), recessive (OR, 0.70; 95% CI, 0.61-0.79; P < 0.00001; AA vs AC+CC), and allele (OR, 0.81; 95% CI, 0.75-0.88; P = 0.00001; A vs C) models. The findings suggested that the rs2705897 variant significantly decreased the risk of cancer in heterozygous codominant (OR, 0.80; 95% CI, 0.67-0.94; P = 0.009; AC vs AA), dominant (OR, 0.81; 95% CI, 0.69-0.95; P = 0.009; AC+CC vs AA), overdominant (OR, 0.80; 95% CI, 0.68-0.95; P = 0.01; AC vs CC+AA), and allele (OR, 0.85; 95% CI, 0.74-0.97; P = 0.02; C vs A) models. The results did not support an association between CASP3 rs1049216 and rs6948 polymorphisms and cancer risk. In summary, the findings of this meta-analysis support an association between CASP3 polymorphisms and cancer risk. Larger and well-designed studies are desired to evaluate these associations in detail.     

Common polymorphisms (rs2241766 and rs1501299) in the ADIPOQ gene are not associated with hypertension susceptibility among the Chinese

The ADIPOQ gene has been implicated in the etiology of hypertension. However, the results have been inconsistent. In this study, a meta-analysis was performed to assess the associations of ADIPOQ polymorphisms with hypertension risk among the Chinese. Published literature from PubMed, CNKI and Wanfang Data were retrieved. Pooled odds ratio (OR) with 95 % confidence interval (CI) was calculated using fixed- or random-effects model. Six studies (1,812 cases and 2,631 controls) for rs2241766 polymorphism and four studies (1,449 cases and 2,175 controls) for rs1501299 polymorphism were identified. A marginally significant association was observed for rs2241766 polymorphism under recessive genetic model (GG vs. GT+TT: OR = 1.22, 95 % CI 1.01-1.48) and for rs1501299 polymorphism under heterogeneous co-dominant model (TG vs. GG: OR = 0.86, 95 % CI 0.75-0.99) and dominant model (TT+TG vs. GG: OR = 0.85, 95 % CI 0.74-0.98). In addition, under other genetic models, there was no significant association for rs2241766 polymorphism (GG vs. TT: OR = 1.20, 95 % CI 0.98-1.48; GT vs. TT: OR = 0.97, 95 % CI 0.85-1.10; GG+GT vs. TT: OR = 1.01, 95 % CI 0.90-1.15) and for rs1501299 polymorphism (TT vs. GG: OR = 0.82, 95 % CI 0.62-1.08; TT vs. TG+GG: OR = 0.87, 95 % CI 0.66-1.14). However, the associations above were not robust by sensitivity analysis. The present meta-analysis indicated the limited evidence of the significant associations between ADIPOQ gene polymorphisms and hypertension susceptibility among the Chinese.     

Distinct Role of CD86 Polymorphisms (rs1129055, rs17281995) in Risk of Cancer: Evidence from a Meta-Analysis

Background and Purpose

Previous studies concerning the role of CD86 polymorphisms (rs1129055 and rs17281995) in cancer fail to provide compelling evidence. The aim of this study was to investigate the role of common polymorphisms in the risk of cancer by meta-analysis.

Methods

By using the search terms Cluster of Differentiation 86/CD86/B7-2/polymorphism/polymorphisms/cancer, we searched PubMed, Embase, CNKI, and Wanfang and identified four studies for rs1129055 (2137 subjects) and rs17281995 (2856 subjects) respectively. Cancer risk was estimated by odds ratio (OR) and 95% confidence interval (95% CI).

Major Findings

Overall, we observed significant reduced risk of cancer in relation to rs1129055. Compared with the individuals with AA genotype, the individuals with GG genotype appeared to have 62% decreased risk to develop cancer (GG versus AA: OR, 0.62; 95% CI, 0.49–0.79; P_het., 0.996). Similar effects were indicated in the G versus A allele model and the GG versus GA+AA genetic model (OR, 0.83; 95% CI, 0.74–0.93; P_het., 0.987; OR, 0.63; 95% CI, 0.50–0.79; P_het., 0.973). In addition, we found genotypes of rs17281995 had a major effect on overall cancer risk (CC versus GG: OR, 2.38; 95% CI, 1.43–3.95; P_het., 0.433; C versus G: OR, 1.23; 95% CI, 1.06–1.43; P_het., 0.521; CC versus GC+GG: OR, 2.38; 95% CI, 1.45–3.93; P_het., 0.443). The association was also observed in Caucasians and colorectal cancer. No obvious publication bias was detected in this meta-analysis.

Conclusions

These data reveal that rs1129055 may have protective effects on cancer risk in Asians and that rs17281995 is likely to contribute to risk of cancer, particularly colorectal cancer in Caucasians.     

Tumour necrosis factor -308 and -238 promoter polymorphisms are predictors of a null virological response in the treatment of Brazilian hepatitis C patients

Certain host single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) affect the likelihood of a sustained virological response (SVR) to treatment in subjects infected with hepatitis C virus (HCV). SNPs in the promoters of interleukin (IL)-10 (-1082 A/G, rs1800896), myxovirus resistance protein 1 (-123 C/A, rs17000900 and -88 G/T, rs2071430) and tumour necrosis factor (TNF) (-308 G/A, rs1800629 and -238 G/A, rs361525) genes and the outcome of PEGylated α-interferon plus ribavirin therapy were investigated. This analysis was performed in 114 Brazilian, HCV genotype 1-infected patients who had a SVR and in 85 non-responders and 64 relapsers. A significantly increased risk of having a null virological response was observed in patients carrying at least one A allele at positions -308 [odds ratios (OR) = 2.58, 95% confidence intervals (CI) = 1.44-4.63, p = 0.001] or -238 (OR = 7.33, 95% CI = 3.59-14.93, p < 0.001) in the TNF promoter. The risk of relapsing was also elevated (-308: OR = 2.87, 95% CI = 1.51-5.44, p = 0.001; -238: OR = 4.20, 95% CI = 1.93-9.10, p < 0.001). Multiple logistic regression of TNF diplotypes showed that patients with at least two copies of the A allele had an even higher risk of having a null virological response (OR = 16.43, 95% CI = 5.70-47.34, p < 0.001) or relapsing (OR = 6.71, 95% CI = 2.18-20.66, p = 0.001). No statistically significant association was found between the other SNPs under study and anti-HCV therapy response.     

Combined effect between CHRNB3–CHRNA6 region gene variant (rs6474412) and smoking in psoriasis vulgaris severity

Background

Many factors associated with causing psoriasis have been reported, such as the genetic and environmental factors. Smoking is one of the well-established environmental risk factors for psoriasis and also associated with the disease severity. In addition, several studies of psoriasis and psoriatic arthritis have documented gene–environment interactions involving smoking behavior. Although gene polymorphisms on nicotinic acetylcholine receptor subunits CHRNB3–CHRNA6 region gene have been found to correlate with smoking behavior and lung cancer susceptibility in Chinese Han population, the combined effect between the smoking-related genetic variants and smoking behavior on psoriasis vulgaris (PV) has been unreported.

Objective

To evaluate the combined effect of the smoking-related (rs6474412-C/T) polymorphism on CHRNB3–CHRNA6 region gene and smoking behavior on PV risk and clinic traits in Chinese Han population.

Methods

A hospital-based case–control study including 672 subjects (355 PV cases and 317 controls) was conducted. The variant of rs6474412 was typed by SNaPshot Multiplex Kit (Applied Biosystems Co., USA).

Results

The higher body mass index (BMI ≥ 25), smoking behavior and alcohol consumption were risk factors for PV, and the estimated ORs were 1.55 (95% CI, 1.09–2.29), 1.74 (95% CI, 1.22–2.49) and 1.81 (95% CI, 1.25–2.62) respectively. The smoking patients had more severe conditions than non-smokers (OR = 1.71, 95% CI, 1.08–2.70, P = 0.020). The alleles and genotypes of rs6474412 were not associated with risk of PV, but the combined effect of rs6474412 genotype (TT) and smoking behavior increased severity of PV (OR = 5.95; 95% CI, 1.39–25.31; P < 0.05; adjusted OR = 2.20; 95% CI, 1.55–3.14; P < 0.001).

Conclusions

Our results demonstrate that the combined effect of rs6474412-C/T polymorphism in smoking-related CHRNB3–CHRNA6 region gene and smoking behavior may not confer risk to PV, but may have impact on PV severity in Chinese Han population.     

Maternal PCMT1 gene polymorphisms and the risk of neural tube defects in a Chinese population of Lvliang high-risk area

Protein-L-isoaspartate (D-aspartate) O-methyltransferase 1 (PCMT1) gene encodes for the protein repair enzyme L-isoaspartate (D-aspartate) O-methyltransferase (PIMT), which is known to protect certain neural cells from Bax-induced apoptosis. Previous study has shown that PCMT1 polymorphisms rs4552 and rs4816 of infant are associated with spina bifida in the Californian population. The association between maternal polymorphism and neural tube defects is still uncovered. A case-control study was conducted to investigate a possible association between maternal PCMT1 and NTDs in Lvliang high-risk area of Shanxi Province in China, using a high-resolution DNA melting analysis genotyping method. We found that increased risk for anencephaly in isolated NTDs compared with the normal control group was observed for the G (vs. A) allele (p=0.034, OR=1.896, 95% CI, 1.04-3.45) and genotypes GG+GA (p=0.025, OR=2.237, 95% CI, 1.09-4.57). Although the significance was lost after multiple comparison correction, the results implied that maternal polymorphisms in PCMT1 might be a potential genetic risk factor for isolated anencephaly in this Chinese population.     

Genetic Polymorphisms in XRCC1, CD3EAP,PPP1R13L,XPB, XPC,and XPF and the Risk of Chronic Benzene Poisoning in a Chinese Occupational Population

Objectives

Individual variations in the capacity of DNA repair machinery to relieve benzene-induced DNA damage may be the key to developing chronic benzene poisoning (CBP), an increasingly prevalent occupational disease in China. ERCC1 (Excision repair cross complementation group 1) is located on chromosome 19q13.2–3 and participates in the crucial steps of Nucleotide Excision Repair (NER); moreover, we determined that one of its polymorphisms, ERCC1 rs11615, is a biomarker for CBP susceptibility in our previous report. Our aim is to further explore the deeper association between some genetic variations related to ERCC1 polymorphisms and CBP risk.

Methods

Nine single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) of XRCC1 (X-ray repair cross-complementing 1), CD3EAP (CD3e molecule, epsilon associated protein), PPP1R13L (protein phosphatase 1, regulatory subunit 13 like), XPB (Xeroderma pigmentosum group B), XPC (Xeroderma pigmentosum group C) and XPF (Xeroderma pigmentosum group F) were genotyped by the Snapshot and TaqMan-MGB^® probe techniques, in a study involving 102 CBP patients and 204 controls. The potential interactions between these SNPs and lifestyle factors, such as smoking and drinking, were assessed using a stratified analysis.

Results

An XRCC1 allele, rs25487, was related to a higher risk of CBP (P<0.001) even after stratifying for potential confounders. Carriers of the TT genotype of XRCC1 rs1799782 who were alcohol drinkers (OR = 8.000; 95% CI: 1.316–48.645; P = 0.022), male (OR = 9.333; 95% CI: 1.593–54.672; P = 0.019), and had an exposure of ≤12 years (OR = 2.612; 95% CI: 1.048–6.510; P = 0.035) had an increased risk of CBP. However, the T allele in PPP1R13L rs1005165 (P<0.05) and the GA allele in CD3EAP rs967591 (OR = 0.162; 95% CI: 0039~0.666; P = 0.037) decreased the risk of CBP in men. The haplotype analysis of XRCC1 indicated that XRCC1 rs25487^A, rs25489^G and rs1799782^T (OR = 15.469; 95% CI: 5.536–43.225; P<0.001) were associated with a high risk of CBP.

Conclusions

The findings showed that the rs25487 and rs1799782 polymorphisms of XRCC1 may contribute to an individual’s susceptibility to CBP and may be used as valid biomarkers. Overall, the genes on chromosome 19q13.2–3 may have a special significance in the development of CBP in occupationally exposed Chinese populations.     

Genetic variation in the NBS1 gene is associated with hepatic cancer risk in a Chinese population

NBS1 plays important roles in maintaining genomic stability as a key DNA repair protein in the homologous recombination repair pathway and as a signal modifier in the intra-S phase checkpoint. We hypothesized that polymorphisms of NBS1 are associated with hepatic cancer (HCC) risk. The NBS1 rs1805794 C/G polymorphism has been frequently studied in some cancers with discordant results, but its association with HCC has not been investigated. Moreover, studies of the 3'UTR variant rs2735383 have not touched upon HCC. This study examined the contribution of these two polymorphisms to the risk of developing HCC in a Chinese population. NBS1 genotypes were determined in 865 HCC patients and 900 controls and the associations with risk of HCC were estimated by logistic regression. Compared with the rs1805794 GG genotype, the GC genotype had a significantly increased risk of HCC (adjusted odds ratios [OR]=1.41; 95% confidence interval [CI]=1.11-1.80), the CC carriers had a further increased risk of HCC (OR=2.27; 95% CI=1.68-3.14), and there was a trend for an allele dose effect on risk of HCC (p<0.001). Also, we found that the risk effect of rs1805794 CC+CG was more pronounced in HCC patients that drank (OR=2.28, 95% CI=1.55-3.29 for drinkers; OR=1.31, 95% CI=1.00-1.77 for nondrinkers). However, there was no significant difference in genotype frequencies of rs2735383 G/C site between cases and controls. These findings suggest that rs1805794 C/G polymorphism in NBS1 may be a genetic modifier for developing HCC.     

Polymorphisms in the Toll-Like Receptor and the IL-23/IL-17 Pathways Were Associated with Susceptibility to Inflammatory Bowel Disease in a Danish Cohort

Background

The inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD), Crohn’s disease (CD) and ulcerative colitis (UC), result from the combined effects of susceptibility genes and environmental factors. Previous studies have shown that polymorphisms in the Toll-like receptor (TLR), the apoptosis, the IL-23/IL-17 and the interferon gamma (IFNG) pathways are associated with risk of both CD and UC.

Methods

Using a candidate gene approach, 21 functional single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in 15 genes were assessed in a clinical homogeneous group of severely diseased ethnic Danish patients consisting of 624 patients with CD, 411 patients with UC and 795 controls. The results were analysed using logistic regression.

Results

The polymorphisms TLR5 (rs5744174) and IL12B (rs6887695) were associated with risk of CD, and TLR1 (rs4833095) and IL18 (rs187238) were associated with risk of both CD and UC (p<0.05). After Bonferroni correction for multiple testing, the homozygous variant genotype of TLR1 743 T>C (rs4833095) was associated with increased risk CD (OR: 3.15, 95% CI: 1.59–6.26, p = 0.02) and CD and UC combined (OR: 2.96, 95% CI: 1.64–5.32, p = 0.005).

Conclusion

Our results suggest that genetically determined high activity of TLR1 and TLR5 was associated with increased risk of both CD and UC and CD, respectively. This supports that the host microbial composition or environmental factors in the gut are involved in risk of IBD. Furthermore, genetically determined high activity of the IL-23/IL-17 pathway was associated with increased risk of CD and UC. Overall, our results support that genetically determined high inflammatory response was associated with increased risk of both CD and UC.     

HLA-C locus alleles may modulate the clinical expression of psoriatic arthritis

The aim of the present study was to evaluate the relative contribution of human leukocyte antigen (HLA)-C locus alleles in determining the risk and the clinical expression of psoriatic arthritis (PsA). One hundred PsA patients were randomly selected and grouped into three disease subsets: oligoarthritis (n = 40), polyarthritis (n = 25) and spondylitis (n = 35). The HLA-C locus profile of this cohort was studied by methods based on molecular biology and was compared with that of 45 patients with psoriasis vulgaris and 177 healthy blood donors from the same ethnic origin. HLA-Cw*0602 was found associated with both psoriasis (odds ratio (OR) 6.2; 95% confidence interval (CI) 3.1 to 12.5; p < 0.0001) and PsA (OR 6.2; 95% CI 3.6 to 10.8; p < 0.0001); however, this allele was equally found among the PsA subsets. HLA-Cw6-positive patients showed a longer psoriasis-arthritis latency period (p = 0.012). HLA-Cw*0701 was found under-represented in PsA in comparison with controls (OR 0.5; 95% CI 0.3 to 0.9; p = 0.04), as was HLA-Cw*0802 (OR 0.3; 95% CI 0.08 to 1; p = 0.05). A positive association was found between psoriatic spondylitis and HLA-Cw*0702 (OR 5.0; 95% CI 1.4 to 25; p = 0.01). HLA-Cw*0602 seems to confer a general risk for psoriasis, but the presence of other HLA-C locus alleles may explain an additional arthritogenic risk. HLA-C alleles may modulate some aspects of the clinical expression of PsA, but these findings need confirmation.     

Polymorphisms in the RANTES gene increase susceptibility to active tuberculosis in Tunisia

RANTES plays a pivotal role in attracting and activating various leukocyte populations that control Mycobacterium tuberculosis infection. The present study investigated the relationship between the RANTES polymorphisms (-28C/G; rs2280788, and -403G/A; rs2107538) and susceptibility to active tuberculosis (TB) in Tunisian populations. A total of 168 patients with pulmonary TB (pTB), 55 with extrapulmonary TB (epTB), and 150 control subjects were studied. Genotype analyses were carried out using polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism method. We found that the -28 GG genotype was significantly associated with susceptibility to pTB (odds ratio [OR]=11.19; 95% confidence intervals [CI], 5.14-25; P corrected for the number of genotypes [Pc]=10(-8)) and epTB (OR=11.67; 95% CI, 4.74-29.33; Pc=10(-8)). However, the -28 CC genotype was found to be significantly associated with resistance to pTB (OR=0.08; 95% CI, 0.04-0.16; Pc=10(-8)) and epTB development (OR=0.11; 95% CI, 0.05-0.27; Pc=10(-8)). -403A allele was associated with increased risk development of epTB (OR=2.21; 95% CI, 1.18-4.14; p=0.007). G-G and A-C haplotypes and the AG/GC diplotype were associated with increase susceptibility to pTB (OR=7.88, 95% CI, 5.38-11.55; Pc=3.10(-8); OR=2.32, 95% CI, 1.32-4.11; Pc=3.10(-3); OR=13.26, 95% CI, 6.06-29.89; Pc=3.10(-8); respectively) and epTB (OR=6.64, 95% CI, 4-11.05; Pc=3.10(-8); OR=2.6, 95% CI, 1.26-5.35; Pc=12.10(-3); OR=11.26, 95% CI, 4.44-29.28; Pc=3.10(-8); respectively). Collectively, our findings suggested an association of the RANTES -28C/G and -403G/A functional polymorphisms with susceptibility to Mycobacterium tuberculosis infection in Tunisian populations.     

Fibroblast growth factor receptor 4 polymorphisms and susceptibility to coronary artery disease

Fibroblast growth factors (FGFs) and their receptors (FGFRs) play crucial roles in vascular smooth muscle cell proliferation and atherosclerosis and, therefore, may potentially affect the development of coronary artery disease (CAD). FGFR4 rs351855 (Gly388Arg) polymorphism has shown to be a risk factor for many diseases. The aim of this study was to investigate the association between FGFR4 polymorphisms and the susceptibility to CAD in the Chinese population. Two polymorphisms, rs351855 (Gly388Arg) and rs641101, were detected by polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism and direct sequencing in 687 CAD cases and 732 age-matched controls. Data were analyzed using the chi-square test. Results showed that frequencies of GA genotype, AA genotype, and A allele in rs351855 (Gly388Arg) polymorphism were significantly lower in CAD patients than in controls (odds ratio (OR)=0.78, 95% confidence intervals (CIs): 0.62-0.98, p=0.034; OR=0.58, 95% CI: 0.42-0.80, p=0.001; and OR=0.77, 95% CI: 0.66-0.90, p=0.001, respectively). The rs641101 polymorphism did not show any correlation with CAD. Haplotype analysis revealed that rs351855 and rs641101 AG haplotype also had lower frequency in CAD patients (OR=0.79, 95% CI: 0.67-0.92, p=0.002). Our data suggested that the FGFR4 rs351855 (Gly388Arg) polymorphism and AG haplotype (rs351855 and rs641101) could act as protective factors against CAD in the Chinese population and indicated that a single gene polymorphism could have diverse functions in different diseases.     

Selected polymorphisms in sex hormone-related genes, circulating sex hormones and risk of endometrial cancer

Background: The role of estrogen and progesterone in the development of endometrial cancer is well documented. Few studies have examined the association of genetic variants in sex hormone-related genes with endometrial cancer risk. Methods: We conducted a case-control study nested within three cohorts to examine the association of endometrial cancer risk with polymorphisms in hormone-related genes among 391 cases (92% postmenopausal at diagnosis) and 712 individually-matched controls. We also examined the association of these polymorphisms with circulating levels of sex hormones and SHBG in a cross-sectional analysis including 596 healthy postmenopausal women at blood donation (controls from this nested case-control study and from a nested case-control study of breast cancer in one of the three cohorts). Results: Adjusting for endometrial cancer risk factors, the A allele of rs4775936 in CYP19 was significantly associated (OR(per allele)=1.22, 95% CI=1.01-1.47, p(trend)=0.04), while the T allele of rs10046 was marginally associated with increased risk of endometrial cancer (OR(per allele)=1.20, 95% CI=0.99-1.45, p(trend)=0.06). PGR rs1042838 was also marginally associated with risk (OR(per allele)=1.25, 95% CI=0.96-1.61, p(trend)=0.09). No significant association was found for the other polymorphisms, i.e. CYP1B1 rs1800440 and rs1056836, UGT1A1 rs8175347, SHBG rs6259 and ESR1 rs2234693. Rs8175347 was significantly associated with postmenopausal levels of estradiol, free estradiol and estrone and rs6259 with SHBG and estradiol. Conclusion: Our findings support an association between genetic variants in CYP19, and possibly PGR, and risk of endometrial cancer.     

CD86 +1057G/A polymorphism and susceptibility to Ewing's sarcoma: a case-control study

The development of Ewing's sarcoma (ES) is a complex process resulting from interplay between mutations in oncogenes and tumor suppressors, host susceptibility factors, and cellular context. CD86 (B7-2) may affect cancer susceptibility by modulating T cell response. CD86 +1057G/A polymorphism (rs1129055) has been reported to be associated with various diseases. Here, we investigated the association between CD86 +1057G/A polymorphism and the risk of ES in a Chinese population. The CD86 +1057G/A polymorphism was detected by polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism in 158 ES cases and 212 age-matched healthy controls. Frequencies of CD86 +1057 AA genotype and +1057 A allele were significantly increased in patients with ES compared to healthy controls (odds ratio [OR]=2.12, 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.11-3.79, p=0.021; and OR=1.41, 95% CI, 1.10-1.91, p=0.018). Our data suggest that the +1057G/A polymorphism of the CD86 gene is associated with increased susceptibility to ES.     

Genetic variants in the microRNA machinery gene GEMIN4 are associated with risk of prostate cancer: a case-control study of the Chinese Han population

Single-nucleotide polymorphisms located in the microRNA biogenesis pathway could alter the risk for developing prostate cancer. The present study was intended to identify common genetic variants responsible for prostate cancer susceptibility in the GEMIN4 gene. The high-resolution melting method was used to genotype seven polymorphisms (rs7813, rs4968104, rs3744741, rs2740348, rs1062923, rs910925, and rs910924) in the GEMIN4 gene in 300 prostate cancer patients and 244 matched controls. The encouraging discovery in this study was in the rs2740348. Patients carrying the variant heterozygote GC genotype in the rs2740348 were at a 36% decreased risk of prostate cancer (odds ratio [OR] = 0.64; 95% confidence interval [CI] = 0.42, 0.99). Similarly, this variant allele carrier showed significant risk for prostate cancer (OR = 0.64). In addition, subjects carrying the homozygote TT genotype in the rs7813 had a significantly increased risk of prostate cancer (OR = 2.53, 95% CI = 1.07, 6.28). Two common haplotypes were found to be associated with decreased risk of prostate cancer. In the subgroup analysis, higher risk of more severity of prostate cancer (clinical stage III and IV) was observed in individuals with the rs7813 TT genotype (OR = 2.64, 95% CI = 1.02, 7.64), while lower risk of more severity of prostate cancer was observed in individuals with the rs3744741 T allele (OR = 0.69, 95% CI = 0.50, 0.96). Overall, our study provides substantial support for the association between the GEMIN4 gene and the risk of prostate cancer.     

Polymorphisms of CHRNA5-CHRNA3-CHRNB4 Gene Cluster and NSCLC Risk in Chinese Population

AIM: To explore the potential association between single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) and haplotypes of the CHRNA5-CHRNA3-CHRNB4 gene cluster and the non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) susceptibility in never-smoking Chinese. METHODS: A case-control study was conducted with 200 NSCLC patients and 200 healthy controls, matched on age and sex. Five SNPs distributed in CHRNA5-CHRNA3-CHRNB4 gene cluster were selected for genotyping. The association between genotype and lung cancer risk was evaluated by computing the odds ratio (OR) and 95% confidence interval (CI) from multivariate unconditional logistic regression analyses with adjustment for gender and age. RESULTS: For CHRNA3 rs578776 status, data were available in 199 NSCLC patients and 199 controls. The G/G homozygote in CHRNB4 rs7178270 had a reduced risk of developing NSCLC (OR = 0.553; 95% CI = 0.309–0.989; P = .0437), especially squamous cell carcinoma (SQC) (OR = 0.344; 95% CI = 0.161–0.732; P = .0043), compared with those who carry at least one C allele (C/C and C/G). The polymorphisms of rs578776, rs938682, rs17486278, and rs11637635 were not significantly different between controls and cases or between controls and histologic subgroups, adenocarcinoma and SQC, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: In our study, we found that the SNP of CHRNB4 rs7178270 is significantly associated with reduced risk of NSCLC, especially with reduced risk of SQC in never-smoking Chinese population.