Adiponectin pathway polymorphisms and risk of breast cancer in African Americans and Hispanics in the Women’s Health Initiative

Adiponectin, a protein secreted by the adipose tissue, is an endogenous insulin sensitizer with circulating levels that are decreased in obese and diabetic subjects. Recently, circulating levels of adiponectin have been correlated with breast cancer risk. Our previous work showed that polymorphisms of the adiponectin pathway are associated with breast cancer risk. We conducted the first study of adiponectin pathways in African Americans and Hispanics in the Women’s Health Initiative SNP Health Association Resource cohort of 3,642 self-identified Hispanic women and 8,515 self-identified African American women who provided consent for DNA analysis. Single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) from three genes were included in this analysis: ADIPOQ, ADIPOR1, and ADIPOR2. The genome-wide human SNP array 6.0 (909,622 SNPs) (www.affymetrix.com) was used. We found that rs1501299, a functional SNP of ADIPOQ that we previously reported was associated with breast cancer risk in a mostly Caucasian population, was also significantly associated with breast cancer incidence (HR for the GG/TG genotype: 1.23; 95 % CI 1.059–1.43) in African American women. We did not find any other SNPs in these genes to be associated with breast cancer incidence. This is the first study assessing the role of adiponectin pathway SNPs in breast cancer risk in African Americans and Hispanics. RS1501299 is significantly associated with breast cancer risk in African American women. As the rates of obesity and diabetes increase in African Americans and Hispanics, adiponectin and its functional SNPs may aid in breast cancer risk assessment.     

A population-specific correlation between ADIPOQ rs2241766 and rs 1501299 and colorectal cancer risk: a meta-analysis for debate

Aims

Many epidemiological studies have investigated the correlation between adiponectin, C1Q and collagen domain containing (ADIPOQ) single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) and risk of colorectal cancer (CRC). Although conflicting results have been reported, there was dispute regarding two SNPs (rs2241766 T/G and rs1501299 G/T). Therefore, we conducted a meta-analysis to systematically assess the associations and try to find the reasons for the dispute.

Methods

We searched PubMed, the Cochrane Library, Elsevier, Wiley Online Library, China National Knowledge Infrastructure, WanFang data and Chongqing VIP to search for all eligible case?control studies published up to January 2015. Effect sizes of odds ratios (OR) and 95 % confidence intervals (95 % CI) were calculated using a fixed- or random-effect model.

Results

Ten case–control studies including 4377 cases and 5584 controls were selected. A significant difference was observed in Chinese (OR 0.76; 95 % CI 0.68, 0.85; P < 0.001) and Ashkenazi Jewish populations (OR 0.79; 95 % CI 0.63, 0.99; P = 0.04) for rs2241766 with dominant model (TT vs TG + GG). A significant difference was observed in the Chinese population (OR 1.23; 95 % CI 1.11, 1.37; P < 0.001) for rs1501299 with dominant model (TT vs TG + GG). In addition, intake of red meat showed a synergistic effect between ADIPOQ gene and risk of colorectal cancer (CRC).

Conclusions

ADIPOQ SNPs rs2241766 T/G and rs 1501299 G/T have a population-specific correlation with risk of CRC. However, small sample studies may increase reporting bias, particularly if the total number of studies included in the analysis is small.

     

DNA double-strand break repair genotype and phenotype and breast cancer risk within sisters from the New York site of the Breast Cancer Family Registry (BCFR)

Purpose

We previously observed that poor DNA repair phenotype is associated with increased breast cancer (BC) risk within families. Here, we examined whether genetic variation in double-strand break repair (DSBR) genes is associated with BC risk and if genotypes are related to phenotype in unaffected women.

Methods

Using data from the New York site of the Breast Cancer Family Registry, we investigated 25 single-nucleotide polymorphism (SNPs) involved in DSBR using biospecimens from 337 BC cases and 410 unaffected sister controls.

Results

Genotypes in XRCC4 were associated with BC risk, with ORs of 1.67 (95 % CI 1.01–2.76) for the combined GA/AA of rs1805377 and 1.69 (95 % CI 1.03–2.77) for rs1056503 TG/GG; these associations were no longer statistically significant in multivariable conditional logistic regression models. When examining the association of SNPs with phenotype, we found that genotypes of XRCC5 rs3834 and rs1051685, which were highly correlated with each other, were associated with end-joining (EJ) capacity; women with the XRCC5 rs3834 GA genotype had better DNA repair as measured by higher levels of EJ capacity (37.8 ± 14.1 % for GA vs. 27.9 ± 11.8 % for GG carriers p = 0.0006). Women with the AA genotype of BRCA1 rs799917 also had higher EJ capacity (35.1 ± 9.2 %) than those with GG (26.4 ± 10.1 %, p = 0.02).

Conclusions

Overall, we found that selected DSBR genotypes were associated with phenotype, although they were not associated with BC risk itself, suggesting that phenotypic measures are influenced by endogenous and exogenous factors across the life course and may be better markers than genotypic measures for ascertaining BC risk.     

Donor interleukin 6 gene polymorphisms predict the recurrence of hepatocellular carcinoma after liver transplantation

Background

Application of the Milan criteria is an effective strategy to select patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) for liver transplantation, but HCC recurrence is still a major concern. The aim of this study was to determine whether interleukin 6 (IL6) polymorphisms and clinical variables are potential predictors for HCC recurrence and prognosis after transplantation.

Methods

A total of 110 consecutive patients with HCC undergoing liver transplantation were enrolled in the study. Six tag single nucleotide polymorphisms in IL6 were genotyped in both the donors and recipients. Demographic characteristics, HCC features, and IL6 polymorphisms were assessed against HCC recurrence.

Results

Pretransplant hepatitis B virus DNA (P = 0.014), pretransplant serum alpha-fetoprotein (P = 0.035), number of nodules (P = 0.011), diameter of main nodule (P = 0.001), macrovascular invasion (P = 0.001), microvascular invasion (P = 0.001), HCC exceeding the Milan criteria (P < 0.001), and donor rs2069852 AA genotype (P = 0.010) were associated with HCC recurrence. Recurrence-free survival rate and overall survival rate were significantly lower (P = 0.011 and P = 0.026, respectively) in patients whose donor had the rs2069852 AA genotype than in those whose donor had the AG and GG genotypes. Independent risk factors for recurrence-free survival and overall survival were microvascular invasion (P = 0.003; P = 0.002), HCC exceeding the Milan criteria (P < 0.001; P = 0.001), and donor rs2069852 AA genotype (P = 0.002; P = 0.010).

Conclusions

Our data suggest that donor IL6 rs2069852 polymorphisms may be a potential genetic marker for HCC recurrence after liver transplantation in the Han Chinese population.

     

Adiponectin gene and risk of colorectal cancer

Background:

Genes of the adiponectin pathway are interesting candidates for colorectal cancer risk based on the potential association between colorectal cancer and obesity. However, variants of the adiponectin gene (ADIPOQ) have been demonstrated to be inconsistently associated with risk of colorectal cancer.

Methods:

The current study attempted to evaluate these findings by examining several single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) that were previously genotyped as part of a genome-wide association study in the ADIPOQ gene. Genotyping was also performed for a previously reported risk variant, rs266729, in 1062 individuals with a diagnosis of colorectal cancer and 1062 controls matched on age, gender and ethnicity (Jewish or not Jewish) as part of a population-based case–control study in Israel.

Results:

No evidence was found for an association between ADIPOQ and risk of colorectal cancer. The single nucleotide variant previously associated with decreased risk of colorectal cancer, rs266729, revealed an adjusted odds ratio of 1.04; 95% confidence interval, 0.88–1.23.

Conclusion:

The SNP, rs266729, was not strongly associated with colorectal cancer in patients of Ashkenazi Jewish descent or other ethnic groups in Israel.     

Polymorphisms in the base excision repair pathway modulate prognosis of platinum-based chemotherapy in advanced non-small cell lung cancer

Purpose

Platinum-based chemotherapy is the most common treatment for patients with advanced non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Genetic polymorphisms in the base excision repair (BER) pathway are suspected to influence the response of patients to this type of therapy. In this study, we investigated whether nonsynonymous single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in the BER pathway were associated with the response, progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS) of NSCLC patients following platinum-based chemotherapy.

Methods

We used TaqMan to genotype four SNPs (APE1 Asp148Glu, PARP1 Va1762Ala, XRCC1 Arg194Trp and XRCC1 Arg399Gln) in 147 patients with advanced NSCLC who had undergone routine platinum-based chemotherapy.

Results

Logistic regression analysis showed that subjects with the XRCC1-399 A allele had a significantly better response to platinum-based chemotherapy than those with the XRCC1-399 GG genotype (AA/AG vs. GG: adjusted OR = 2.35, 95 % CI = 1.11–5.00). Furthermore, multivariate Cox proportional hazard regression analysis showed that the PARP1-762 CC genotype was a significantly unfavorable prognostic factor for PFS (CC vs. CT/TT: adjusted HR = 1.90, 95 % CI = 1.02–3.52). In contrast, the APE1-148 GG genotype was a significantly protective prognostic factor for OS (GG vs. TT: adjusted HR = 0.33, 95 % CI = 0.12–0.92).

Conclusions

We found that XRCC1 Arg399Gln, PARP1 Va1762Ala and APE1 Asp148Glu SNPs in the BER pathway may influence the prognosis of advanced NSCLC patients following platinum-based chemotherapy.     

Genetic polymorphisms of CYP17A1 in steroidogenesis pathway are associated with risk of progression to castration-resistant prostate cancer in Japanese men receiving androgen deprivation therapy

Background

Hormone ablation therapy is the standard therapy for prostate cancer; however, there are large individual differences in the duration of response to the therapy. We investigated, in this retrospective multicenter study, the association between genetic polymorphic variations in steroidogenesis-related genes and the risk of progression to castration-resistant prostate cancer (CRPC) in Japanese patients after androgen deprivation therapy.

Methods

Two hundred and fourteen Japanese patients with prostate cancer who were receiving androgen deprivation therapy were enrolled in this study. We investigated 22 single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) from 8 genes related to steroidogenesis. The SNPs were assayed by polymerase chain reaction (PCR)-based methods. The different genotypes in this cohort were analyzed according to a case–control status of progression to CRPC at the median duration of hormonal therapy. A logistic regression method with adjustments for patients’ characteristics was applied for the analysis.After applying the logistic regression method, we performed Cox regression analysis, following Kaplan–Meier and log-rank analyses.

Results

In the logistic regression analysis four genetic polymorphisms, rs743572, rs6162, rs6163, and rs1004467, in the CYP17A1 gene were significantly associated with a risk of progression to CRPC (p < 0.05). Cox regression analysis for these SNPs showed an association of risk of progression to CRPC with the rs743572 genotype (p = 0.02, odds ratio [OR] 0.43, 95 % confidence interval [CI] 0.22–0.85).

Conclusion

The genetic backgrounds for CYP17A1 genes could influence the progression of prostate cancer to CRPC after androgen deprivation therapy.     

Variation in folate pathway genes and distal colorectal adenoma risk: a sigmoidoscopy-based case�Ccontrol study

Background

Folate-associated one-carbon metabolism (FOCM) is an important pathway in colorectal neoplasia risk but data on genetic variation in this pathway are largely limited to studies of single SNPs in selected genes.

Methods

We used a comprehensive tagSNP approach to study the association between genetic variation in 11 genes in the FOCM pathway and risk of incident distal colorectal adenomas in a sigmoidoscopy-based case?Ccontrol study. We included 655 cases (one or more adenomas) and 695 controls (no adenomas) recruited from one of two Kaiser Permanente clinics between 1991 and 1995. We assessed a total of 159 tagSNPs selected using Haploview Tagger as well as selected non-synonymous SNPs. We used unconditional logistic regression to model the association between SNPs and risk of distal adenomas, assuming a log-additive model.

Results

Five SNPs in the SLC19A1 (RFC1) gene: rs1051266 (G80A), rs283895, rs2236484, rs12482346, and rs2838958 were associated with adenoma risk after correction for multiple testing (all corrected p values ??0.043). The non-synonymous SLC19A1 SNP G80A interacted significantly with the MTHFR C677T genotype (interaction p value = 0.018).

Conclusion

Our data suggest that genetic variation in SLC19A1 may modify the risk of distal colorectal adenoma.     

Polymorphisms in oxidative stress and inflammation pathway genes, low-dose ionizing radiation, and the risk of breast cancer among US radiologic technologists

Objective

Ionizing radiation, an established breast cancer risk factor, has been shown to induce oxidative damage and chronic inflammation. Polymorphic variation in oxidative stress and inflammatory-mediated pathway genes may modify radiation-related breast cancer risk.

Methods

We estimated breast cancer risk for 28 common variants in 16 candidate genes involved in these pathways among 859 breast cancer cases and 1,083 controls nested within the US Radiologic Technologists cohort. We estimated associations between occupational and personal diagnostic radiation exposures with breast cancer by modeling the odds ratio (OR) as a linear function in logistic regression models and assessed heterogeneity of the dose–response across genotypes.

Results

There was suggestive evidence of an interaction between the rs5277 variant in PTGS2 and radiation-related breast cancer risk. The excess OR (EOR)/Gy from occupational radiation exposure = 5.5 (95%CI 1.2–12.5) for the GG genotype versus EOR/Gy < 0 (95%CI < 0–3.8) and EOR/Gy < 0 (95%CI < 0–14.8) for the GC and CC genotypes, respectively, (p _interaction = 0.04). The association between radiation and breast cancer was not modified by other SNPs examined.

Conclusions

This study suggests that variation in PTGS2 may modify the breast cancer risk from occupational radiation exposure, but replication in other populations is needed to confirm this result.     

Role of one-carbon metabolizing pathway genes and gene–nutrient interaction in the risk of non-Hodgkin lymphoma

Purpose

Genetic polymorphisms in one-carbon metabolizing pathway genes have been associated with risk of malignant lymphoma. However, the results have been inconsistent. The objectives of this study were to examine the potential relationship between gene–nutrient interactions and the risk of non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL).

Methods

We examined 25 polymorphisms in 16 one-carbon metabolism genes for their main effect and gene–nutrient interactions in relation to NHL risk among 518 incident cases and 597 population-based controls of Connecticut women enrolled between 1996 and 2000.

Results

A significantly reduced risk of NHL was associated with the homozygous TT genotype in CBS (rs234706, Ex9+33C>T) (OR = 0.51, 95 % CI 0.31–0.84), the homozygous CC genotype in MBD2 (rs603097, ?2176C>T) (OR = 0.37, 95 % CI 0.17–0.79), the heterozygote AG genotype in FTHFD (rs1127717, Ex21+31A>G) (OR = 0.73, 95 % CI 0.55–0.98), and a borderline significantly reduced risk of NHL was observed for the homozygous CC genotype in MTRR (rs161870, Ex5+136T>C) (OR = 0.23, 95 % CI 0.05–1.04). The reduced risk of NHL associated with these genotypes was predominately in those with higher dietary vitamin B6 and methionine intakes, as well as with higher dietary folate intake although results were less stable. A borderline significantly increased risk of NHL was also observed for CBS (rs1801181, Ex13+41C>T), FTHFD (rs2305230, Ex10?40G>T), SHMT1 (rs1979277, Ex12+138C>T), and SHMT1 (rs1979276, Ex12+236T>C), and these associations appeared to be contingent on dietary nutrient intakes.

Conclusion

Our results suggest that variation in several one-carbon metabolizing pathway genes may influence the risk of NHL through gene–nutrient interactions involving dietary nutrient intakes.     

Lymphotoxin alfa and receptor-interacting protein kinase 1 gene polymorphisms may correlate with prognosis in patients with diffuse large B cell lymphoma treated with R-CHOP

Purpose

Diffuse large B cell lymphoma (DLBCL) is a heterogenous disease entity due to diverse clinical outcomes to treatment. Most anticancer agents, regardless of their distinct mechanisms of action, ultimately kill cancer cells by inducing apoptosis. Accordingly, the present study analyzed the impact of polymorphisms of apoptosis-related genes on outcome in DLBCL patient treated with R-CHOP.

Patients and methods

Ninety patients with DLBCL treated with R-CHOP were enrolled in the present study. The genomic DNA was extracted from paraffin-embedded tissue and 22 polymorphisms of 18 apoptosis-related genes were assessed using a polymerase chain reaction–restriction fragment length polymorphism assay.

Results

All the evaluable patients were responsive to R-CHOP. The multivariate analysis showed that the AA genotype of lymphotoxin alpha (LTA) C804A (rs1041981) and GG genotype of RIPK1 G83A (rs2272990) were significantly correlated with a worse time to progression (TTP) compared with the combined C/A and C/C genotype and the combined G/A and A/A genotype (hazard ratio [HR] = 7.92; 95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.42–44.18; P = 0.018 and HR = 20.02; 95% CI = 1.59–251.52; P value = 0.018, respectively), whereas no association was observed between the other polymorphisms and TTP.

Conclusion

The polymorphisms of LTA (rs1041981) and RIPK1 (rs2272990) may correlate with TTP in patients with DLBCL treated with R-CHOP.     

Tobacco smoking, NBS1 polymorphisms, and survival in lung and upper aerodigestive tract cancers with semi-Bayes adjustment for hazard ratio variation

Purpose

Although single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) of NBS1 have been associated with susceptibility to lung and upper aerodigestive tract (UADT) cancers, their relations to cancer survival and measures of effect are largely unknown.

Methods

Using follow-up data from 611 lung cancer cases and 601 UADT cancer cases from a population-based case–control study in Los Angeles, we prospectively evaluated associations of tobacco smoking and 5 NBS1 SNPs with all-cause mortality. Mortality data were obtained from the Social Security Death Index. We used Cox regression to estimate adjusted hazard ratios (HR) for main effects and ratios of hazard ratios (RHR) derived from product terms to assess hazard ratio variations by each SNP. Bayesian methods were used to account for multiple comparisons.

Results

We observed 406 (66 %) deaths in lung cancer cases and 247 (41 %) deaths in UADT cancer cases with median survival of 1.43 and 1.72 years, respectively. Ever tobacco smoking was positively associated with mortality for both cancers. We observed an upward dose–response association between smoking pack-years and mortality in UADT squamous cell carcinoma. The adjusted HR relating smoking to mortality in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) was greater for cases with the GG genotype of NBS1 rs1061302 than for cases with AA/AG genotypes (semi-Bayes adjusted RHR = 1.97; 95 % limits = 1.14, 3.41).

Conclusions

A history of tobacco smoking at cancer diagnosis was associated with mortality among patients with lung cancer or UADT squamous cell carcinoma. The HR relating smoking to mortality appeared to vary with the NBS1 rs1061302 genotype among NSCLC cases.     

Genetic polymorphisms in obesity-related genes and endometrial cancer risk

BACKGROUND:

Obesity is associated with circulating levels of adiponectin and leptin and endometrial cancer risk. Little is known about whether single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in the genes that encode adiponectin (ADIPOQ), leptin (LEP), adiponectin receptor 1 (ADIPOR1), adiponectin receptor 2 (ADIPOR2), and leptin receptor (LEPR) are associated with endometrial cancer.

METHODS:

The authors selected 87 tagging SNPs to capture common genetic variants in these 5 genes. These SNPs were evaluated in 1028 endometrial cancer cases and 1932 community controls recruited from Chinese women. Logistic regression models were used to estimate odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (95% CIs).

RESULTS:

Three of the 10 SNPs evaluated in the ADIPOQ gene were significantly associated with reduced cancer risk. The OR for women homozygous for the minor allele (A/A) for rs3774262 was 0.68 (95% CI, 0.48‐0.97) compared with women homozygous for the major allele (G/G). Similar results were found for SNPs rs1063539 and rs12629945 in ADIPOQ, which were in linkage disequilibrium with rs3774262. These associations became nonsignificant after Bonferroni correction was applied. Controls with the minor allele A at rs3774262 had lower weight, smaller waist and hip circumferences, and lower body mass index than controls with the major allele G (all P < .05). Women homozygous for the minor allele (T/T) of rs2071045 in the LEP gene also had significantly lower risk (OR, 0.70; 95% CI, 0.54‐0.90) than women homozygous for the major allele (C/C). No other SNPs in the LEP, ADIPOR1, ADIPOR2, or LEPR genes were found to be associated with cancer risk.

CONCLUSIONS:

Although a chance finding cannot be ruled out, the consistency of findings for gene‐endometrial cancer risk and gene‐obesity measurements suggests that genetic polymorphisms in the ADIPOQ gene may play a role in endometrial cancer development. Cancer 2011. © 2011 American Cancer Society.     

Genetic variants in the folate pathway and risk of childhood acute lymphoblastic leukemia

Objective

Folate is involved in the one-carbon metabolism that plays an essential role in the synthesis, repair, and methylation of DNA. We examined whether child??s germline genetic variation in the folate pathway is associated with childhood acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL), and whether periconception maternal folate and alcohol intake modify the risk.

Methods

Seventy-six single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs), including 66 haplotype-tagging SNPs in 10 genes (CBS, DHFR, FOLH1, MTHFD1, MTHFR, MTR, MTRR, SHMT1, SLC19A1, and TYMS), were genotyped in 377 ALL cases and 448 controls. Log-additive associations between genotypes and ALL risk were adjusted for age, sex, Hispanic ethnicity (when appropriate), and maternal race.

Results

Single and haplotype SNPs analyses showed statistically significant associations between SNPs located in (or adjacent to) CBS, MTRR, TYMS/ENOFS, and childhood ALL. Many regions of CBS were associated with childhood ALL in Hispanics and non-Hispanics (p < 0.01). Levels of maternal folate intake modified associations with SNPs in CBS, MTRR, and TYMS.

Conclusion

Our data suggest the importance of genetic variability in the folate pathway and childhood ALL risk.     

An SNP in CYP39A1 is associated with severe neutropenia induced by docetaxel

Purpose

Docetaxel is one of the most widely used chemotherapy drugs for gynecological cancers. A dose-limiting factor of docetaxel is severe neutropenia, and previous reports showed that grade 4 neutropenia was observed in approximately 70 % of Japanese patients treated with docetaxel. In order to elucidate a valid biomarker for docetaxel-induced neutropenia, we analyzed 42 Japanese patients with gynecological cancers such as ovarian cancer and endometrial cancer of the uterus.

Methods

As a first step, AUC of docetaxel was examined in 10 patients and 1,936 SNPs of 225 genes were genotyped using DMET Plus? genotyping systems.

Results

The first screening revealed that 28 SNPs were associated with the AUC (P < 0.05), and we analyzed the associations between the 28 SNPs and neutrophil counts in the other 32 patients, with the result that CYP39A1 (rs7761731) was found to be the only SNP significantly associated (P = 0.049 OR = 9.0) with the incidence of grade 4 neutropenia among 28 SNPs.

Conclusions

This SNP in CYP39A1 may be a useful biomarker for predicting the risk of docetaxel-induced neutropenia.     

<Emphasis Type="Italic">ADRA2A</Emphasis> Germline Gene Polymorphism is Associated to the Severity,but not to the Risk,of Breast Cancer

Breast cancer (BC) prognosis and risk were associated to obesity, metabolic syndrome and type 2 diabetes mellitus. Two Single Nucleotide Polymorphisms (SNPs) of the adrenergic receptor-2a gene (ADRA2A): rs1800544 and rs553668, have been associated to these metabolic disorders. We investigated these SNPs in BC risk and prognosis. A total of 102 BC patients and 102 healthy controls were included. The rs1800544 and rs553668 were determined by real-time PCR. Genotypes and haplotypes frequencies between patients and controls, and for different clinico-pathologic parameters were compared. We found a significant association of rs1800544 GG genotype with young age at diagnosis, premenopausal status, higher tumor size, metastasis in lymph nodes, advanced TNM stages and higher Nottingham Prognosis Indicator (NPI) (p < 0.05). There was no association between rs1800544 and SBR stages, Her2, ER and PR statuses and the molecular classification. The rs553668 AA genotype was associated to young age at diagnosis and premenopausal status (p < 0.05). The haplotype GA was associated to the early age of diagnosis (p = 0.03), and the haplotype GG to higher tumor size, lymph node involvement, advanced TNM stages and Her2 positive status (p < 0.05). There was no polymorphism or haplotype association with BC risk (p > 0.05). ADRA2A polymorphism is associated with indicators BC poor prognosis but not with BC susceptibility. This is the first report suggesting that ADRA2A germline gene polymorphism could represent a predictor factor for BC outcome. Further investigation of other ADRA2A polymorphisms in BC risk or prognosis are needed and may lead to a genotype-based therapy.     

Association of germline microRNA SNPs in pre-miRNA flanking region and breast cancer risk and survival: the Carolina Breast Cancer Study

Purpose

Common germline variation in the 5′ region proximal to precursor (pre-) miRNA gene sequences is evaluated for association with breast cancer risk and survival among African Americans and Caucasians.

Methods

We genotyped nine single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) within six miRNA gene regions previously associated with breast cancer, in 1,972 cases and 1,776 controls. In a race-stratified analysis using unconditional logistic regression, odds ratios (ORs) and 95 % confidence intervals (CIs) were calculated to evaluate SNP association with breast cancer risk. Additionally, hazard ratios (HRs) for breast cancer-specific mortality were estimated.

Results

Two miR-185 SNPs provided suggestive evidence of an inverse association with breast cancer risk (rs2008591, OR = 0.72 (95 % CI = 0.53–0.98, p value = 0.04) and rs887205, OR = 0.71 (95 % CI = 0.52–0.96, p value = 0.03), respectively) among African Americans. Two SNPs, miR-34b/34c (rs4938723, HR = 0.57 (95 % CI = 0.37–0.89, p value = 0.01)) and miR-206 (rs6920648, HR = 0.77 (95 % CI = 0.61–0.97, p value = 0.02)), provided evidence of association with breast cancer survival. Further adjustment for stage resulted in more modest associations with survival (HR = 0.65 [95 % CI = 0.42–1.02, p value = 0.06] and HR = 0.79 [95 % CI = 0.62–1.00, p value = 0.05, respectively]).

Conclusions

Our results suggest that germline variation in the 5′ region proximal to pre-miRNA gene sequences may be associated with breast cancer risk among African Americans and breast cancer-specific survival generally; however, further validation is needed to confirm these findings.     

1p34.2 rs621559 and 14q21 rs398652 leukocyte telomere length-related genetic variants contribute to glioma susceptibility

Recent genome-wide association studies have identified several leukocyte telomere length (LTL)-related single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs). Our previous data demonstrated that two SNPs (rs398652 on 14q21 and rs621559 on 1p34.2) were associated with LTL and risk of esophageal squamous cell carcinoma in Chinese. However, the role of these genetic variants on glioma risk is still unknown. Therefore, we examined if these genetic variants have impact on the genetic susceptibility of glioma in Chinese. On the basis of analyzing 404 glioma patients and frequency-matched 820 controls, we found that subjects having the 1p34.2 rs621559 AG or GG genotype had an OR of 1.82 (95 % CI = 1.07–3.09, P = 0.026) or 2.12 (95 % CI = 1.26–3.56, P = 0.005) for developing glioma, respectively, compared with subjects having the rs621559 AA genotype. Similarly, the 14q21 rs398652 AG or GG genotype was associated with increased glioma risk (OR = 1.39, 95 % CI = 1.07–1.80, P = 0.012; OR = 1.52, 95 % CI = 1.04–2.20, P = 0.029) compared to AA genotype. In all, our results highlight the possible role of telomere in carcinogenesis.     

Polymorphisms in DNA repair genes,hair dye use,and the risk of non-Hodgkin lymphoma

Purpose

Genetic polymorphisms in DNA repair genes and hair dye use may both have a role in the development of non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL). We aimed to examine the interaction between variants in DNA repair genes and hair dye use with risk of NHL in a population-based case–control study of Connecticut women.

Methods

We examined 24 single nucleotide polymorphisms in 16 DNA repair genes among 518 NHL cases and 597 controls and evaluated the associations between hair dye use and risk of overall NHL and common NHL subtypes, stratified by genotype, using unconditional logistic regression.

Results

Women who used hair dye before 1980 had a significantly increased risk of NHL, particularly for the follicular lymphoma (FL) subtype, but not for diffuse large B-cell lymphoma. The following genotypes in combination with hair dye use before 1980 were associated with FL risk: BRCA2 rs144848 AC+CC [odds ratio (OR) (95 % confidence interval (CI)) 3.28(1.27–8.50)], WRN rs1346044 TT [OR(95 % CI) 2.70(1.30–5.65)], XRCC3 rs861539 CT+TT [OR(95 % CI) 2.76(1.32–5.77)], XRCC4 rs1805377 GG [OR(95 % CI) 2.07(1.10–3.90)] and rs1056503 TT [OR(95 % CI) 2.17(1.16–4.07)], ERCC1 rs3212961 CC [OR(95 % CI) 1.93(1.00–3.72)], RAD23B rs1805329 CC [OR(95 % CI) 2.28(1.12–4.64)], and MGMT rs12917 CC, rs2308321 AA, and rs2308327 AA genotypes [OR(95 % CI) 1.96(1.06–3.63), 2.02(1.09–3.75), and 2.23(1.16–4.29), respectively]. In addition, a significant interaction with risk of overall NHL was observed between WRN rs1346044 and hair dye use before 1980 (p _interaction = 0.032).

Conclusions

Our results indicated that genetic variation in DNA repair genes modifies susceptibility to NHL in relation to hair dye use, particularly for the FL subtype and in women who began using hair dye before 1980. Further studies are needed to confirm these observations.     

Significant association of combination of OCT4, NANOG,and SOX2 gene polymorphisms in susceptibility and response to treatment in North Indian breast cancer patients

Purpose

Dysregulations of regulatory genes in embryonic stem cells (ESCs) gene polymorphisms may lead to breast cancer cell growth, differentiation, and tumor metastasis.

Methods

Polymorphisms in OCT4 (rs3130932), NANOG (rs11055786), LIN28 (rs4274112), and SOX2 (rs11915160) genes were evaluated for susceptibility in 297 breast cancer females and 273 healthy controls from north Indian population. Response to neo-adjuvant chemotherapy was followed in 128 locally advanced breast cancer patients along with clinicopathological features. Genotyping was done using TaqMan allelic discrimination assays. Statistical analysis was performed using SPSS and multifactor dimensionality reduction (MDR).

Results

For OCT4 gene polymorphism, protective effect of genotypes AC [P _corr = 0.031, OR = 0.63 (0.44–0.91)] and AC+CC [P _corr = 0.031, OR = 0.68 (0.48–0.95)] was seen in patients. However, no association of NANOG, LIN28, and SOX2 gene polymorphisms was found with overall breast cancer susceptibility. Further, significant association of AG+GG genotype [P _corr = 0.021, OR = 6.08 (1.83–20.15)] and G allele [P _corr = 0.021, OR = 3.07 (1.21–7.77)] of rs4274112 polymorphism was seen with positive lymph node. For OCT4, significant association of allele C was seen with patients having negative hormone receptor [P _corr = 0.021, OR = 0.51 (0.29–0.90)], but no association of any of the studied polymorphisms individually was found with response to NACT. On MDR analysis, we found combination of SNPs SOX2 rs11915160, OCT4 rs3130932, and NANOG rs11055786 to be the best interaction model for predicting breast cancer risk [p for permutation test <10^?3, OR = 2.04 (1.43–2.910] and response to NACT [p for permutation test = 0.005, OR = 2.09 (1.24–3.52)].

Conclusion

Combination of genetic variants of ESCs gene may have a profound effect in breast cancer risk and response to NACT.