Interleukin-18 gene promoter polymorphism and the risk of nasopharyngeal carcinoma in a Chinese population.

Full Abstract

Nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) is one of the most common cancers in southern China. In addition to environmental factors such as Epstein-Barr virus infection and chemical carcinogen exposure, genetic susceptibility has been reported to play a key role in the development of this disease. Interleukin-18 (IL-18) is a multifunctional cytokine that induces interferon-gamma secretion and plays an important role in antitumor immunity. Variations in the DNA sequence of the IL-18 gene promoter may lead to altered IL-18 production and/or activity, so this can modulate an individual's susceptibility to NPC. To test this hypothesis, we analyzed two single-nucleotide polymorphisms of IL-18 gene promoter, -137 G/C and -607 C/A, in 250 patients with NPC and 270 age- and sex-matched controls, using polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism. Two polymorphisms, -137 G/C and -607 C/A, were in strong linkage disequilibrium. There were significant differences in the genotype and allele distribution of -137 G/C polymorphism of the IL-18 gene among cases and controls. The -137 GC and CC genotypes were associated with a significantly increased risk of NPC as compared with the -137 GG genotypes (odds ratio [OR] = 1.697; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.158-2.488; p = 0.007, and OR = 2.700; 95% CI, 1.268-5.751; p = 0.008, respectively). Consistent with the results of the genotyping analyses, the -137 C/-607 A haplotype was associated with a significantly increased risk of NPC as compared with the -137 G/-607 C haplotype (OR = 1.721; 95% CI, 1.262-2.349; p = 0.001).

Author information

Author/s: Nong, Le-Gen (LG); Luo, Bin (B); Zhang, Liang (L); Nong, Hong-Bing (HB);

Affiliation: Department of Medical Laboratory, Affiliated Hospital of Youjiang Medical University for Nationalities, Baise, China. nonglegen(-atsign-)gmail.com

Journal and publication information

Publication Type: Journal Article; Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

Journal: DNA and cell biology (DNA Cell Biol), published in United States. (Language: eng)

Reference: 2009-Oct; vol 28 (issue 10) : pp 507-13

Dates: Created 2009/09/23; Completed 2009/10/26;

PMID: 19622039, status: MEDLINE (last retrieval date: 10/26/2009, IMS Date: )

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