A Meta-Analysis of Interleukin-8 -251 Promoter Polymorphism Associated with Gastric Cancer Risk

Background: Potential functional allele A/T single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) of Interleukin 8 (IL-8) promoter-251has been implicated in gastric cancer risk. Methods: We aimed to explore the role of A/T SNP of IL-8-251 in the susceptibility to gastric cancer through a systematic review and meta-analysis. Each initially included article was scored for quality appraisal. Desirable data were extracted and registered into databases. Eighteen studies were ultimately eligible for the meta-analysis of IL-8- 251 A/T SNP. We adopted the most probably appropriate genetic model (codominant model). Potential sources of heterogeneity were sought out via stratification and sensitivity analyses, and publication biases were estimated. Results: Between IL-8-251 AA genotype with gastric cancer risk, statistically significant association could be noted with overall gastric cancer, evidently noted in Asians, witnessed in high quality subgroup, and apparently noted in intestinal-type gastric cancer. Conclusions: Our meta-analysis indicates that IL-8-251 AA genotype is associated with the overall risk of developing gastric cancer and may seem to be more susceptible to overall gastric cancer in Asian populations. IL-8-251 AA genotype is more associated with the intestinal-type gastric cancer. IL-8-251 AA genotype is not associated with Helicobacter Pylori infection status in our meta-analysis

Joint Effects of Febrile Acute Infection and an Interferon-γ Polymorphism on Breast Cancer Risk

BACKGROUND: There is an inverse relationship between febrile infection and the risk of malignancies. Interferon gamma (IFN-γ) plays an important role in fever induction and its expression increases with incubation at fever-range temperatures. Therefore, the genetic polymorphism of IFN-γ may modify the association of febrile infection with breast cancer risk. METHODOLOGY AND PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: Information on potential breast cancer risk factors, history of fever during the last 10 years, and blood specimens were collected from 839 incident breast cancer cases and 863 age-matched controls between October 2008 and June 2010 in Guangzhou, China. IFN-γ (rs2069705) was genotyped using a matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry platform. Odds ratios (OR) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were calculated using multivariate logistic regression. We found that women who had experienced ≥1 fever per year had a decreased risk of breast cancer [ORs and 95% CI: 0.77 (0.61-0.99)] compared to those with less than one fever a year. This association only occurred in women with CT/TT genotypes [0.54 (0.37-0.77)] but not in those with the CC genotype [1.09 (0.77-1.55)]. The association of IFN-γ rs2069705 with the risk of breast cancer was not significant among all participants, while the CT/TT genotypes were significantly related to an elevated risk of breast cancer [1.32 (1.03-1.70)] among the women with <1 fever per year and to a reduced risk of breast cancer [0.63 (0.40-0.99)] among women with ≥1 fever per year compared to the CC genotype. A marked interaction between fever frequencies and the IFN-γ genotypes was observed (P for multiplicative and additive interactions were 0.005 and 0.058, respectively). CONCLUSIONS: Our findings indicate a possible link between febrile acute infection and a decreased risk of breast cancer, and this association was modified by IFN-γ rs2069705

The Association of Vitamin D Receptor Gene BsmI Polymorphism with Multiple Sclerosis in Iranian Patients

Abstract: Background & Aims: 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D3 (1,25 (OH)2 D3), the biologically active form of vitamin D, exerts an immunosuppressive effect through binding to its specific nuclear receptor. The present case-control study was done to examine the possible association of BsmI polymorphism in vitamin D receptor gene (VDR gene) with severity of multiple sclerosis (MS). Methods: 267 Iranian patients with MS and 292 ethnically and sex matched controls were included in this study. BsmI polymorphism in VDR gene was assessed by PCR-RFLP method. Results: No differences in the allelic distribution were observed in the patients as compared to the controls. Also no difference in genotype distribution of VDR-BsmI polymorphism was observed between patients and controls (p=0.43). Conclusion: Considering the significance of vitamin D3 as an immune system regulator and its inhibitory effects on MS, investigation on other VDR gene polymorphisms is recommended. Keywords: Multiple sclerosis, Vitamin D, Polymorphism, Ira