Cruciferous vegetables, the GSTP1 Ile105Val genetic polymorphism, and breast cancer risk

BACKGROUND: Cruciferous vegetables are the primary source of isothiocyanates and other glucosinolate derivatives that are known to induce phase II detoxifying enzymes, including glutathione S-transferases (GSTs). OBJECTIVE: We investigated the independent and combined effects of cruciferous vegetable intake and the GSTP1 Ile(105)Val genetic polymorphism on breast cancer risk. DESIGN: Analyses included 3035 cases and 3037 population controls who were participating in the Shanghai Breast Cancer Study and for whom diet and genetic data were complete (87% of cases and 85% of controls). RESULTS: With the use of multivariate logistic regression, the GSTP1 Val/Val genotype was significantly associated with greater breast cancer risk (OR = 1.50; 95% CI: 1.12, 1.99). The association was significantly greater in premenopausal women (OR = 1.69; 95% CI: 1.17, 2.43) than in postmenopausal women (OR = 1.20; 95% CI: 0.74, 1.92). Total cruciferous vegetable intake was not significantly associated with breast cancer risk, although subjects reporting greater turnip (P for trend < 0.001) and Chinese cabbage (P for trend = 0.049) intakes had a significantly lower postmenopausal breast cancer risk. Women with the GSTP1 Val/Val genotype and low cruciferous vegetable intake had a breast cancer risk 1.74-fold (95% CI: 1.13, 2.67) that of women with the Ile/Ile or Ile/Val genotype. This effect of low cruciferous vegetable intake and the Val/Val genotype was seen predominantly among premenopausal women (OR = 2.08; 95% CI = 1.20, 3.59). CONCLUSIONS: Cruciferous vegetable intake consistent with high isothiocyanate exposure may reduce breast cancer risk. Cruciferous vegetable intake also may ameliorate the effects of the GSTP1 genotype.     

铀矿工GSTP1基因多态与MGMT基因和p16基因甲基化的关系

目的探讨氡职业暴露人群谷胱甘肽S-转移酶P1(GSTP1)基因多态与痰细胞6-氧-甲基嘌呤-DNA甲基转移酶(MGMT)和p16基因甲基化的关系。方法用聚合酶链反应-限制性片段长度多态性法(PCR-RFLP)确定70例氡职业暴露人群GSTP1的基因型;用聚合酶链反应-甲基化特异性法(MSP)确定痰细胞中MGMT和p16基因的甲基化与非甲基化状态。结果在70名铀矿工中,GSTP1基因A105G位点的纯合子(Ile/Ile)42例,杂合子(Ile/Val)25例和纯合子(Val/Val)3例。MGMT、p16基因甲基化率和总甲基化率分别为14.2%、8.6%和18.6%。与携带Ile/Ile人群相比,携带异常等位基因(Ile/Val与Val/Val)的人群MGMT基因甲基化和总甲基化率增加[P=0.037,OR=4.8,95%CI(1.1~21.0);P=0.016,OR=5.1,95%CI(1.4~19.6)];p16基因甲基化率差异无统计学意义[P=0.057,OR=4.6,95%CI(0.8~29.2)]。结论GSTP1(A105G)基因多态性与氡致MGMT基因甲基化和总甲基化的易感性有关。     

The influence of genetic polymorphisms of GSTP1 on the development of asbestosis

OBJECTIVE: Genetic factors play an important role in the development of asbestosis. The aim of this study was to investigate whether genetic polymorphisms of glutathione S-transferase (GST) P1 represent a risk factor for this disease. METHODS: The study population included 262 workers with asbestosis and 265 matched controls. Information on cumulative asbestos exposure was available. A real-time PCR based on the 5' nuclease assay was designed for the analysis of GSTP1 Ile105Val and Ala114Val polymorphisms. RESULTS: Asbestosis was associated with GSTP1 genotype coding for an enzyme with high conjugation capacity versus genotypes resulting in intermediate and low enzyme activity (odds ratio = 1.49, confidence interval = 1.06-2.10). CONCLUSIONS: The key finding of the study was that GSTP1 genotype coding for an enzyme with high conjugation capacity significantly increases the risk of developing asbestosis.     

Meta- and pooled analyses of the cytochrome P-450 1B1 Val432Leu polymorphism and breast cancer: a HuGE-GSEC review

The association between the cytochrome P-450 1B1 (CYP1B1) Val432Leu polymorphism and breast cancer was assessed through a meta-analysis of all published case-control studies and a pooled analysis of both published and unpublished case-control studies from the Genetic Susceptibility to Environmental Carcinogens (GSEC) database ( www.upci.upmc.edu/research/ccps/ccontrol/g_intro.html ). GSEC is a collaborative project that gathers information on studies of metabolic gene polymorphisms and cancer. Thirteen articles were included in the meta-analysis (14,331 subjects; 7,514 cases, 6,817 controls); nine data sets were included in the pooled analysis (6,842 subjects; 3,391 cases, 3,451 controls). A summary meta- or pooled estimate of the association between the CYP1B1 Val432Leu polymorphism and breast cancer could not be calculated because of statistically significant heterogeneity in the point estimates among studies. No association between the CYP1B1 Val432Leu polymorphism and breast cancer was observed in Asians (for Val/Val and Val/Leu combined, odds ratio (OR) = 1.0, 95% confidence interval (CI): 0.8, 1.2). An inverse association was observed in populations of mixed/African origin (OR = 0.8, 95% CI: 0.7, 0.9). The pooled analysis suggested a possible association in Caucasians (for Val/Val and Val/Leu combined, OR = 1.5, 95% CI: 1.1, 2.1), with effect modification across age categories. The observed effect of age on the association in Caucasians indicates that further studies are needed on the role of CYP1B1 Val432Leu in estrogen metabolism according to age, ethnicity, and menopausal status.     

Smoking and the risk of lung cancer: susceptibility with GSTP1 polymorphisms

BACKGROUND: GSTP1 is a gene that helps detoxify foreign substances in the body. Functional polymorphisms of GSTP1 have been studied as risk factors for lung cancer. Past studies have compared the effect of the "at risk" polymorphism in two strata of smoking pack-years (usually defined by the median among controls). We examined the interaction between GSTP1 polymorphisms and cumulative exposure to smoking and their association with lung cancer risk. METHODS: Data are from a large hospital-based case-control study of persons treated for primary lung cancer at the Massachusetts General Hospital since 1992. Controls were drawn from friends and nonrelated family members. We genotyped 1,042 cases and 1,161 controls for GSTP1 using polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism techniques. FINDINGS: The GSTP1 GG genotype approximately doubled the lung cancer risk associated with pack-years. This interaction was stronger among current smokers. At 26 pack-years (median among controls with a smoking history), the adjusted odds ratio for the association between pack-years and lung cancer risk was 13 (95% confidence interval = 6.5-25) among current smokers with the GSTP1 GG genotype compared with 6.1 (95% confidence interval = 4.9-7.5) among those with the GSTP1 AA genotype. CONCLUSIONS: GSTP1 GG increases the lung cancer risk associated with pack-years of smoking.     

A meta-analysis of risk estimates for prostate cancer related to tire and rubber manufacturing operations

Studies investigating the association between prostate cancer and exposure to the tire and rubber manufacturing environment have reported weak and inconsistent results. A meta-analysis of nine cohort studies that used standard mortality ratios and three case-control studies that used odds ratios was conducted. The pooled results from the nine cohort studies showed a standard mortality ratio of 101 (95% confidence interval [CI] = 93,110), whereas the pooled results from the three case-control studies showed on odds ratio of 1.10 (95% CI = 0.94, 1.29). The standard mortality ratios were converted to odds ratios by dividing by 100. The overall pooled risk estimate from all 12 studies was 1.03 (95% CI = 0.96, 1.11). The conclusion of this meta-analysis is that work exposure in a rubber and tire manufacturing environment does not result in an increased risk of prostate cancer.     

Pooled analysis and meta-analysis of glutathione S-transferase M1 and bladder cancer: a HuGE review

Smoking is a known risk factor for bladder cancer. The product of the GSTM1 gene, glutathione S-transferase M1 (GSTM1), is involved in the detoxification of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons found in tobacco smoke; a homozygous deletion of this gene in approximately 50% of Caucasians and Asians results in a lack of GSTM1 enzyme activity. Most studies examining the relation between bladder cancer and GSTM1 have reported an increased risk associated with a lack of GSTM1 activity. The authors performed meta- and pooled analyses of published and unpublished, case-control, genotype-based studies that examined this association (17 studies, 2,149 cases, 3,646 controls) and excluded studies conducted in populations with a high prevalence of exposure to known bladder cancer risk factors other than tobacco smoke. Using random effects models in the meta-analysis, the authors obtained a summary odds ratio of 1.44 (95% confidence interval (CI): 1.23, 1.68) for GSTM1 null status with all studies included. Results from studies with at least 100 cases and 100 controls produced a summary odds ratio of 1.42 (95% CI: 1.26, 1.60). Pooled analyses using original data sets from 10 studies (1,496 cases and 1,444 controls) and adjusting for age, sex, and race produced similar results. There was no evidence of multiplicative interaction between the GSTM1 null genotype and ever smoking in relation to bladder cancer, although there was a suggestion of additive interaction (additive interaction = 0.45, 95% CI: -0.03, 0.93). These results indicate that, among populations studied to date, GSTM1 null status is associated with a modest increase in the risk of bladder cancer.     

GSTM1, GSTT1, and GSTP1 polymorphisms, breast cancer risk factors and mammographic density in women submitted to breast cancer screening

Genetic polymorphisms in genes related to the metabolism of xenobiotics, such as genes of the glutathione S-transferases (GSTM1, GSTT1, and GSTP1) superfamily have been associated with an increased risk for breast cancer (BC). Considering the high incidence of BC in the city of Porto Alegre in southern Brazil, the purpose of this study was to characterize genotypic and allelic frequencies of polymorphisms in GSTM1, GSTT1, and GSTP1, and correlate these molecular findings with established risk factors for breast cancer including mammographic density, in a sample of 750 asymptomatic women undergoing mammographic screening. Molecular tests were performed using the multiplex polymerase chain reaction (PCR) for GSTM1 and GSTT1, and quantitative PCR for GSTP1 polymorphisms. Overall, the frequencies of GSTM1 and GSTT1 null genotypes were 45% and 21%, respectively. For GSTP1 polymorphism, genotypic frequencies were 44% for the Ile/Ile genotype, 44% for the Ile/Val genotype, and 12% for Val/Val genotype, with an allelic frequency of 66% for the wild type allele in this population, similar to results of previous international publications. There was a statistically significant association between the combined GSTM1 and GSTT1 null genotypes (M-/T-) and mammographic density in post menopausal women (p = 0.031). When the GSTT1 null (T-) genotype was analyzed isolated, the association with mammographic density in post menopausal women and in the overall sample was also statistically significant (p = 0.023 and p = 0.027, respectively). These findings suggest an association of GSTM1 and GSTT1 null genotypes with mammographic density.     

Meta- and pooled analysis of GSTT1 and lung cancer: a HuGE-GSEC review

Lung cancer is the most common malignancy in the Western world, and the main risk factor is tobacco smoking. Polymorphisms in metabolic genes may modulate the risk associated with environmental factors. The glutathione S-transferase theta 1 gene (GSTT1) is a particularly attractive candidate for lung cancer susceptibility because of its involvement in the metabolism of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons found in tobacco smoke and of other chemicals, pesticides, and industrial solvents. The frequency of the GSTT1 null genotype is lower among Caucasians (10-20%) than among Asians (50-60%). The authors present a meta- and a pooled analysis of case-control, genotype-based studies that examined the association between GSTT1 and lung cancer (34 studies, 7,629 cases and 10,087 controls for the meta-analysis; 34 studies, 7,044 cases and 10,000 controls for the pooled analysis). No association was observed between GSTT1 deletion and lung cancer for Caucasians (odds ratio (OR) = 0.99, 95% confidence interval (CI): 0.87, 1.12); for Asians, a positive association was found (OR = 1.28, 95% CI: 1.10, 1.49). In the pooled analysis, the odds ratios were not significant for either Asians (OR = 0.97, 95% CI: 0.83, 1.13) or Caucasians (OR = 1.09, 95% CI: 0.99, 1.21). No significant interaction was observed between GSTT1 and smoking on lung cancer, whereas GSTT1 appeared to modulate occupational-related lung cancer.     

Interactions between glutathione S-transferase P1, tumor necrosis factor, and traffic-related air pollution for development of childhood allergic disease

BACKGROUND: Air pollutants may induce airway inflammation and sensitization due to generation of reactive oxygen species. The genetic background to these mechanisms could be important effect modifiers. OBJECTIVE: Our goal was to assess interactions between exposure to air pollution and single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in the beta2-adrenergic receptor (ADRB2), glutathione S-transferase P1 (GSTP1), and tumor necrosis factor (TNF) genes for development of childhood allergic disease. METHODS: In a birth cohort originally of 4,089 children, we assessed air pollution from local traffic using nitrogen oxides (traffic NO(x)) as an indicator based on emission databases and dispersion modeling and estimated individual exposure through geocoding of home addresses. We measured peak expiratory flow rates and specific IgE for inhalant and food allergens at 4 years of age, and selected children with asthma symptoms up to 4 years of age (n = 542) and controls (n = 542) for genotyping. RESULTS: Interaction effects on allergic sensitization were indicated between several GSTP1 SNPs and traffic NO(x) exposure during the first year of life (p(nominal) < 0.001-0.06). Children with Ile105Val/Val105Val genotypes were at increased risk of sensitization to any allergen when exposed to elevated levels of traffic NO(x) (for a difference between the 5th and 95th percentile of exposure: odds ratio = 2.4; 95% confidence interval, 1.0-5.3). In children with TNF-308 GA/AA genotypes, the GSTP1-NO(x) interaction effect was even more pronounced. We observed no conclusive interaction effects for ADRB2. CONCLUSION: The effect of air pollution from traffic on childhood allergy appears to be modified by GSTP1 and TNF variants, supporting a role of genes controlling the antioxidative system and inflammatory response in allergy.     

CYP1A1, cigarette smoking, and colon and rectal cancer

Cytochrome P-450 (CYP) is involved in the activation and metabolism of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in tobacco products. The authors evaluated the association of two polymorphisms in the CYP1A1 gene--the noncoding Msp I polymorphism in the 3'-untranslated region and the Ile462Val polymorphism in exon 7--with colon and rectal cancer. The authors used data from two incident case-control studies of colon cancer (1,026 cases and 1,185 controls) and rectal cancer (820 cases and 1,036 controls) conducted in California and Utah (1991-2002). CYP1A1 genotype was not associated with colon or rectal cancer. Having GSTM1 present, a CYP1A1 variant allele, and the rapid-acetylator NAT2 imputed phenotype was associated with increased risk of colon cancer (odds ratio = 1.7, 95% confidence interval: 1.2, 2.3). Among men, the greatest colon cancer risk was observed for having any CYP1A1 variant allele and currently smoking (odds ratio = 2.5, 95% confidence interval: 1.3, 4.8; Wald chi(2)test: p < 0.01). Assessment of GSTM1 and CYP1A1 and rectal cancer in men showed a twofold elevation in risk for more than 20 pack-years of smoking, except among those with GSTM1 present who had a variant CYP1A1 allele. These data support the association between smoking and colon and rectal cancer. Smoking may have a greater impact on colorectal cancer risk based on CYP1A1 genotype; this might further be modified by GSTM1 for rectal cancer risk.     

Baseline determination in social, health, and genetic areas in communities affected by glyphosate aerial spraying on the northeastern Ecuadorian border

The northeastern Ecuadorian border has undergone aerial spraying with an herbicide mix that contains surfactants and adjuvants, executed by the Colombian Government. The purpose of this study was to diagnose social, health, and genetic aspects of the people affected by glyphosate. For this objective to be achieved, 144 people were interviewed, and 521 medical diagnoses and 182 peripheral blood samples were obtained. Genotyping of GSTP1 Ile105Val, GPX-1 Pro198Leu, and XRCC1 Arg399Gln polymorphisms were analyzed, using PCR-RFLP technique. The assessment of chromosomal aberrations was performed, obtaining 182 karyotypes. Malnutrition in children was 3%. Of the total population, 7.7% had children with malformations, and the percentage of abortions was 12.7%. Concerning genotyping, individuals with GSTP1 Val/Val obtained an odds ratio of 4.88 (p < 0.001), and Ile/Val individuals, together with Val/Val individuals, had an odds ratio of 2.6 (p < 0.05). In addition, GPX-1 Leu/Leu individuals presented an odds ratio (OR) of 8.5 (p < 0.05). Regarding karyotyping, the 182 individuals had normal karyotypes. In conclusion, the study population did not present significant chromosomal and DNA alterations. The most important social impact was fear. We recommend future prospective studies to assess the communities.     

细胞色素P4501A1基因多态性与食管癌易感性关系的Meta分析

目的 探讨细胞色素P4501A1(CYP1A1)MspI和Ile/Val位点基因多态性与食管癌发生的关系.方法 采用Meta分析方法,对国内外1997-2008年采用病例对照方法研究CYP1A1MspI和Ile/Val基因多态性与食管癌发生关系的16篇(MspI 8篇,Ile/Val 14篇)文献,采用显性模型(即突变基因型与野生型比较)进行综合定量分析,然后按病理分型(鳞癌/腺癌)分亚组进行分析.结果 综合分析CYP1A1 MspI突变基因型(TC+CC)与食管癌发生无统计学关联(OR=1.17,95%CI:0.82～1.66),亚组分析亦未发现CYP1A1 MspI突变基因型与食管鳞癌(OR=1.17,95%CI:0.82～1.69)和食管腺癌(OR=1.39,95%CI:0.67～2.09)的统计学关联;携带CYP1A1突变基因型(Ile/Val+Val/Val)的个体发生食管癌的危险性是野生型的1.39倍(OR=1.39,95%CI:1.07～1.80);亚组分析显示突变基因型与食管鳞癌发生的易感性相关但与食管腺癌无关联,OR值分别为1.43(95%CI:1.07～1.91)和1.20(95%CI:0.62～2.30).结论 CYP1A1 Ile/Val位点突变基因型可增加食管鳞癌发生的危险性,CYP1A1 MspI位点基因多态性与食管癌无关联.     

Citrus fruit intake and bladder cancer risk: a meta-analysis of observational studies

Epidemiological studies have investigated the association between citrus fruit and bladder cancer risk; however, the results are inconsistent. To assess these issues, we conducted a meta-analysis of currently available studies. We identified relevant articles by searching the MEDLINE and EMBASE databases. We calculated the summary relative risk (RR) with 95% confidence interval (95% CI) using a random effect model. We included eight case–control studies and six cohort studies in the meta-analysis. There was a significant inverse association between citrus fruit intake and bladder cancer risk in all pooled studies (RR: 0.85; 95% CI, 0.76–0.94) and case–control studies (RR: 0.77; 95% CI, 0.64–0.92), but not in the cohort studies (RR: 0.96; 95% CI, 0.87–1.07). Our results suggest that citrus fruit intake is related to decreased bladder cancer risk. Subsequent well-designed, large prospective studies are needed to obtain better understanding of this relationship.     

Cytochrome P-450 1A1 gene polymorphisms and risk of breast cancer: a HuGE review

Cytochrome P-450 (CYP) 1A1 plays a key role in phase I metabolism of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons and in estrogen metabolism. It is expressed predominantly in extrahepatic tissues, including the breast. Four CYP1A1 gene polymorphisms (3801T --> C, Ile462Val, 3205T --> C, and Thr461Asp) have been studied in relation to breast cancer. The 3801C variant is more common than the Val variant. Both variants occur more frequently in Asians than in White populations. The 3205T --> C polymorphism has been observed in African Americans only. Little data are available on the geographic/ethnic distribution of the Thr461Asp polymorphism. The functional significance of the polymorphisms is unclear. In 17 studies, no consistent association between breast cancer and CYP1A1 genotype was found. Meta-analysis found no significant risk for the genotypes 1) 3801C/C (relative risk (RR) = 0.97, 95% confidence interval (CI): 0.52, 1.80) or 3801T/C (RR = 0.91, 95% CI: 0.70, 1.19) versus 3801T/T, 2) Val/Val (RR = 1.04, 95% CI: 0.63, 1.74) or Ile/Val (RR = 0.92, 95% CI: 0.76, 1.10) versus Ile/Ile, or 3) Asp/Asp (RR = 0.95, 95% CI: 0.20, 4.49) or Thr/Asp (RR = 1.12, 95% CI: 0.87, 1.43) versus Thr/Thr. Future studies should explore possible interactions between CYP1A1 and sources of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, markers of estrogen exposure, other lifestyle factors influencing hormonal levels, and other genes involved in polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon metabolism or hormonal biosynthesis.     

Smoking before the first pregnancy and the risk of breast cancer: a meta-analysis

The authors conducted a meta-analysis of the association between smoking before a first pregnancy, when undifferentiated breast tissue may be vulnerable to tobacco carcinogens, and the risk of breast cancer. A search of the published literature through August 2010 identified 23 papers reporting on associations between smoking before a first pregnancy and breast cancer. Odds ratios or hazard ratios and 95% confidence intervals, adjusted for known or suspected breast cancer risk factors, were abstracted from each study. Data were pooled using both fixed- and random-effects models. The fixed-effect summary risk ratio for breast cancer among the women who smoked before their first pregnancy versus women who had never smoked was 1.10 (95% confidence interval: 1.07, 1.14); the random-effects estimate was similar. The separate fixed-effect risk ratios for smoking only before the first pregnancy (5 studies) or only after the first pregnancy (16 studies) were both 1.07, providing no evidence that breast tissue is more susceptible to malignant transformation from smoking before the first pregnancy. While these small summary risk ratios may represent causal effects, residual confounding could readily produce estimates of this size in the absence of any causal effect.     

Relationship between noise annoyance from road traffic noise and cardiovascular diseases: a meta-analysis

Road traffic noise is an important source of noise annoyance in the community. We performed a meta-analysis to assess whether there is an association between noise annoyance from road traffic noise and cardiovascular diseases (arterial hypertension and ischemic heart disease) in adult population. The meta-analysis included studies that: a. had noise annoyance as exposure, quantified either as "annoyed versus non-annoyed" or with various scales collected by standardized questionnaires; b. arterial hypertension or ischemic heart disease as outcome; c. had included only adult population (age >18 years); d. the studies had to have as effect size odds ratios or relative risk. From the individual studies those odds ratios were selected for meta-analysis which compared most distant categories. Eight studies that fulfilled criteria published between 1992 and 2006 were included in the meta-analysis: 6 studies had a cross-sectional design, 1 study had a case-control-design and 1 study had a cohort design. Increased annoyance was significantly associated with arterial hypertension (pooled risk estimate = 1.16, 95% confidence interval 1.02-1.29) while the association with ischemic heart disease did not reach statistical significance (pooled risk estimate = 1.07, 95% confidence interval 0.99-1.14). No publication bias was evidenced. The results of this meta-analysis demonstrated the existence of a positive and significant association between noise annoyance from road traffic and the risk of arterial hypertension and a positive yet insignificant association between noise annoyance and the risk of ischemic heart disease.     

EPHX1 polymorphisms and the risk of lung cancer: a HuGE review

BACKGROUND: Microsomal epoxide hydrolase 1 (EPHX1) plays an important role in both the activation and detoxification of tobacco-derived carcinogens. Polymorphisms at exons 3 and 4 of the EPHX1 gene have been reported to be associated with variations in EPHX1 activity. The aim of this study is to review and summarize the available molecular epidemiologic studies of lung cancer and EPHX1. METHODS: We searched MEDLINE, Current Contents, and Web of Science databases for studies published before August 2004. We conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis of 13 case-control studies. Summary odds ratios and summary prevalence of the variant allele (genotype) of both polymorphisms in the EPHX1 gene were calculated using the DerSimonian and Laird method. RESULTS: The low-activity (variant) genotype of EPHX1 polymorphism at exon 3 was associated with decreased risk of lung cancer (odds ratio = 0.65; 95% confidence interval = 0.44-0.96) in lung cancer risk among whites. In white populations, the high-activity (variant) genotype of EPHX1 polymorphism at exon 4 was associated with a modest increase in risk of lung cancer (1.22; 0.79-1.90) and the predicted low activity was associated with a modest decrease in risk (0.72; 0.43-1.22). CONCLUSIONS: EPHX1 enzyme may act as a phase I enzyme in lung carcinogenesis. The low-activity genotype of EPHX1 gene is associated with decreased risk of lung cancer among whites.     

Wine drinking and risk of non-Hodgkin's lymphoma among men in the United States: a population-based case-control study

The relation between wine consumption and non-Hodgkin's lymphoma (NHL) was investigated using data from the Selected Cancers Study. Cases (n = 960) were men aged 32-60 years diagnosed with NHL from 1984 to 1988 and identified from eight US population-based cancer registries. Controls (n = 1,717) were men recruited by random digit dialing and frequency matched to cases by age and registry. Logistic regression was used to calculate odds ratios and 95% confidence intervals adjusted for age, registry, race/ethnicity, education, and smoking. Odds ratios for men who consumed less than one and those who consumed one or more wine drinks per day were 0.8 (95% confidence interval: 0.5, 1.3) and 0.4 (95% confidence interval: 0.2, 0.9) compared with nondrinkers, respectively (p for trend = 0.02). Among wine drinkers who consumed alcohol beverages from ages 16 years or less, odds ratios for intakes of less than one and one or more wine drinks per day were 0.4 (95% confidence interval: 0.2, 0.97) and 0.3 (95% confidence interval: 0.1, 0.8), respectively (p for trend = 0.004). No associations were evident for beer or spirits. These data show that consumption of wine, but not of beer or spirits, is associated with a reduced NHL risk.     

Relations of serum ascorbic acid and alpha-tocopherol to diabetic retinopathy in the Third National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey

The protective relation of ascorbic acid and alpha-tocopherol to the development of diabetic retinopathy has not been thoroughly evaluated in epidemiologic studies. The association of prevalent diabetic retinopathy with serum ascorbic acid and alpha-tocopherol was studied among participants with type 2 diabetes (>or=40 years) (n = 998) in the Third National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (1988-1994); 20% of the sample (n = 199) had prevalent retinopathy. The overall odds ratio for retinopathy among participants in quartile 4 compared with quartile 1 for serum ascorbic acid was 1.3 (95% confidence interval: 0.8, 2.3), with a p for trend = 0.60 after adjustment for the confounders of smoking, race, waist/hip ratio, hypertension, and duration of diabetes. The overall odds ratio for retinopathy among participants in quartile 4 compared with quartile 1 for serum alpha-tocopherol was 2.7 (95% confidence interval: 1.6, 4.6), with a p for trend = 0.14 after adjustment for confounders. After removal of supplement users of vitamin C (n = 307) or vitamin E (n = 298), the odds ratio changed direction or was attenuated: adjusted odds ratios for retinopathy among participants in quartile 4 compared with quartile 1 for serum ascorbic acid and alpha-tocopherol = 0.7 (95% confidence interval: 0.3, 1.4) and 1.6 (95% confidence interval: 0.9, 2.9), respectively. In summary, no significant associations were observed between serum levels of major dietary antioxidants and retinopathy. Recent use of supplements for treatment of complications of diabetes may explain the direct associations.