Functional epidermal growth factor gene polymorphisms and risk of gastric cancer.

ABSTRACT: Epidermal growth factor (EGF) is critical in cancer progression and various genotypes of the EGF gene have been reported to be correlated with susceptibility to gastric cancer; however, the results are unclear. The aim of this study was to explore the associations of functional EGF gene polymorphisms and risk of gastric cancer in a Chinese population. We genotyped seven functional single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) of the EGF gene [rs3756261, rs11568835 and rs4444903 in the promoter region; rs11568943, rs2237051 and rs11569017 in the non-synonymous exon region and rs3733625 in the 3' untranslated region (UTR)] in a hospital-based case-control study, including 387 gastric cancer cases and 392 healthy controls by polymerase chain reaction-ligation detection reaction (PCR-LDR) methods. We found that individuals carrying the AG/GG genotype of rs2237051 (Ile to Met) in the exon region had an increased risk of gastric cancer (adjusted OR=1.577; 95% CI=1.163-2.138), compared with the wild-type homozygous AA genotype. The heterozygous AG/GG genotype of rs3733625 in the 3'UTR demonstrated a protective effect (adjusted OR=0.690; 95% CI=0.501-0.951), compared with the homozygous AA genotype. In addition, the effects of the two SNPs were more evident in intestinal gastric cancer (P<0.05); however, this was not case for the diffuse type (P>0.05). These findings indicate that a change in amino acids from isoleucine to methionine of rs2237051 and rs3733625 in the 3'UTR may contribute to the etiology of intestinal gastric cancer in the Chinese population.

SUBMITTER: Zhan Z 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3573096 | biostudies-literature | 2013 Feb

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature