Multidrug resistance protein 2 genetic polymorphism and colorectal cancer recurrence in patients receiving adjuvant FOLFOX-4 chemotherapy

Multidrug resistance protein 2 (MRP2), encoded by the ATP-binding cassette C2 (ABCC2) gene, is an efflux pump located on the apical membrane of many polarized cells, which transports conjugate compounds by an ATP-dependent mechanism. The correlation of G1249A ABCC2 polymorphism with the development of colorectal cancer (CRC) and poor prognosis was evaluated in patients who were treated with fluorouracil/leucovorin (FL) plus oxaliplatin (FOLFOX-4). A total of 50 paraffin embedded tissue samples collected from CRC patients were analyzed to identify the polymorphism. Patients were in stage II/III and received postoperative FOLFOX-4 chemotherapy. As a control group, an equal number of unrelated healthy subjects were enrolled in the study. The polymorphism was genotyped by the polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism (PCR-RFLP) method, and results were compared with clinicopathological markers, early relapse and survival rates. During the 12 months of follow-up, local and distant recurrences were observed in 15 (30%) patients. No significant difference in the distribution of wild-type and polymorphic genotypes was observed between the patient and control groups and between the patients who experienced recurrence within 1 year and those who did not (all P>0.05). In conclusion, the G1249A polymorphism is not associated with CRC risk and early recurrence. However, significant correlation was observed between G1249A polymorphism and the overall survival and disease-free survival of the patients

Association of vitamin D receptor gene variants with polycystic ovary syndrome: A case control study

Background: Vitamin D and insulin play an important role in susceptibility to polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), and therefore vitamin D receptor (VDR), parathyroid hormone (PTH), and insulin receptor (INSR) gene variants might be involved in the pathogenesis of PCOS. Objective: The present study was designed to investigate the possible associations between polymorphisms in VDR, PTH, and INSR genes and the risk of PCOS. Materials and Methods: VDR, PTH, and INSR gene variants were genotyped in 35 women with PCOS and 35 controls using Polymerase chain reaction – Restriction fragment length polymorphism method. Furthermore, serum levels of glucose and insulin were measured in all participants. Results: No significant differences were observed for the VDR FokI, VDR Tru9I, VDR TaqI, PTH DraII, INSR NsiI, and INSR PmlI gene polymorphisms between the women with PCOS and controls. However, after adjustment for confounding factors, the VDR BsmI “Bb” genotype and the VDR ApaI "Aa" genotype were significantly under transmitted to the patients (p= 0.016; OR= 0.250; 95% CI= 0.081-0.769, and p= 0.017; OR= 0.260; 95% CI= 0.086-0.788, respectively). Furthermore, in the women with PCOS, insulin levels were lower in the participants with the INSR NsiI "NN" genotype compared with those with the "Nn + nn" genotypes (P= 0.045). Conclusion: The results showed an association between the VDR gene BsmI and ApaI polymorphisms and PCOS risk. These data also indicated that the INSR "NN" genotype was a marker of decreased insulin in women with PCOS. Our findings, however, do not lend support to the hypothesis that PTH gene DraII variant plays a role in susceptibility to PCOS