Genetic polymorphisms of XRCC1 and risk of the esophageal cancer

Polymorphisms in the DNA repair gene XRCC1 associated with basal cell carcinoma and squamous cell carcinoma of the skin in a Korean population

DNA in most cells is regularly damaged by endogenous and exogenous mutagens. Unrepaired damage can result in apoptosis or may lead to unregulated cell growth and cancer. Inheritance of genetic variants at one or more loci results in reduced DNA repair capacity. This hospital-based case-control study examined whether polymorphisms in the DNA repair gene X-ray repair cross-complementing groups 1 (XRCC1) (Arg194Trp[C > T], Arg280His[G > A] and Arg399Gln[G > A]) play a role in susceptibility to skin cancer. We genotyped these polymorphisms for 212 histopathologically confirmed skin cancer cases (n = 114 basal cell carcinoma, n = 98 squamous cell carcinoma) and 207 age- and sex-matched healthy control cases in Korea. We found that individuals with the Arg/Gln and Arg/Gln + Gln/Gln genotypes at XRCC1 Arg399Gln(G > A) had an approximately 2-fold increased risk of basal cell carcinoma compared to individuals with the Arg/Arg genotype (adjusted odds ratio [AOR] = 2.812, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.32-5.98, and AOR = 2.324, 95% CI 1.11-4.86). However, we observed that the 194Trp allele of the Arg194Trp(C > T) polymorphism was inversely associated with squamous cell carcinoma risk (Trp/Trp, AOR = 0.06, 95% CI 0.006-0.63). Our data suggest that the Arg194Trp and Arg399Gln polymorphisms may be differentially associated with skin cancer risk.

X-ray repair cross-complementing group 1 (XRCC1) single-nucleotide polymorphisms and the risk of salivary gland carcinomas

BACKGROUND

X-ray repair cross complementing group 1 (XRCC1) is important in the repair of single-strand DNA breaks caused by endogenous oxidative species and exogenous carcinogens.

METHODS

This tertiary cancer center-based, case-control association study included 138 patients with salivary gland carcinoma (SGC), 50 patients with benign salivary gland tumors, and a group of 503 cancer-free control participants. Polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism genotyping assays were performed on 6 XRCC1 single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs). Odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (95% CIs) were calculated in multivariate logistic regression analyses, and haplotype distributions were estimated.

RESULTS

The XRCC1 genotype distributions of patients with SGC and control participants differed significantly for both the T1915C promoter SNP (P = .047) and the Arg194Trp coding region SNP (P = .037). The polymorphic 1915C allele was significantly less frequent in patients with SGC than in the controls (34% vs 42%; P = .031). Multivariate analysis demonstrated that individuals who had the 1915 polymorphic homozygous CC genotype (OR, 0.4; 95% CI, 0.2-0.9; P = .017) had a significantly lower risk of SGC, and individuals who had the Arg194Trp heterozygous CT genotype (OR, 1.6; 95% CI, 1.0-2.6; P = .059) had a higher, borderline significant risk. The CGTTGG haplotype was associated with a higher SGC risk (OR, 3.5; 95% CI, 1.1-11.3; P = .036). No findings were significant for the patients who had benign salivary gland tumors.

CONCLUSIONS

In this study, the XRCC1 1915C allele was associated with a lower SGC risk, and the XRCC1 194Trp allele was associated with a higher SGC risk.

Single-nucleotide polymorphisms in base excision repair, nucleotide excision repair, and double strand break genes as markers for response to radiotherapy in patients with Stage I to II head-and-neck cancer

PURPOSE

Polymorphisms in DNA repair genes can influence response to radiotherapy. We analyzed single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNP) in nine DNA repair genes in 108 patients with head-and-neck cancer (HNSCC) who had received radiotherapy only.

METHODS AND MATERIALS

From May 1993 to December 2004, patients with Stage I and II histopathologically confirmed HNSCC underwent radiotherapy. DNA was obtained from paraffin-embedded tissue, and SNP analysis was performed using a real-time polymerase chain reaction allelic discrimination TaqMan assay with minor modifications.

RESULTS

Patients were 101 men (93.5%) and 7 (6.5%) women, with a median age of 64 years (range, 40 to 89 years). Of the patients, 76 (70.4%) patients were Stage I and 32 (29.6%) were Stage II. The XPF/ERCC1 SNP at codon 259 and XPG/ERCC5 at codon 46 emerged as significant predictors of progression (p = 0.00005 and 0.049, respectively) and survival (p = 0.0089 and 0.0066, respectively). Similarly, when variant alleles of XPF/ERCC1, XPG/ERCC5 and XPA were examined in combination, a greater number of variant alleles was associated with shorter time to progression (p = 0.0003) and survival (p = 0.0002).

CONCLUSIONS

Genetic polymorphisms in XPF/ERCC1, XPG/ERCC5, and XPA may significantly influence response to radiotherapy; large studies are warranted to confirm their role in HNSCC.

The role of XRCC1 polymorphisms in base excision repair of etheno-DNA adducts in French vinyl chloride workers

OBJECTIVES

The purpose of this study was to examine whether polymorphisms in the XRCC1 DNA-repair protein can affect the base excision repair capacity to remove etheno-DNA adducts induced by vinyl chloride exposure that account for the occurrence of mutant biomarkers of effect seen in exposed workers.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Using polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism and fluorescence polarization techniques, we examined the effect of three x-ray cross complementing-1 protein polymorphisms, at codons 194, 280 and 399, on the occurrence of mutant biomarkers in ras-p21 and p53 induced by vinyl chloride exposure in a cohort of 211 French vinyl chloride workers to correlate differences in genotype with differences in the presence of these biomarkers. Also, cell cultures of lymphoblast lines from a pair of individuals, one homozygous wild-type and one homozygous variant for the codon 399 polymorphism, were exposed to the reactive intermediate of vinyl chloride, and, using an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, levels of etheno-DNA adducts generated and repaired were measured and compared.

RESULTS

After adjusting for age, smoking, alcohol drinking and cumulative vinyl chloride exposure, compared to workers who were homozygous wild-type for all alleles, the odds ratio for the presence of either biomarker increased to 2.0 (95% CI: 1.0-3.9) for workers with any one variant allele and to 2.4 (95% CI: 1.1-5.2) for workers with more than one variant allele. Data from the cell culture experiments indicating that repair of etheno-DNA adducts is considerably better in wild-type cells compared to polymorphic cells were supportive of the epidemiologic results.

CONCLUSIONS

This study provides further evidence that polymorphisms in XRCC1 can be an important biomarker of susceptibility in populations exposed to agents that produce damage removed by base excision repair.

Dietary selenium intake, aldehyde dehydrogenase-2 and X-ray repair cross-complementing 1 genetic polymorphisms, and the risk of esophageal squamous cell carcinoma

BACKGROUND

To the authors' knowledge, few studies have been conducted to date regarding dietary selenium and the potential gene-nutrient interactions with single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in different pathways on the risk of esophageal cancer.

METHODS

The authors investigated the role of dietary selenium intake and its interplay with SNPs of the ALDH2 (glutamic acid [Glu] 487 lysine [Lys]) and the X-ray repair cross-complementing 1 (XRCC1) (arginine [Arg] 399 glutamine [Gln]) genes on the risk of esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) in a population-based, case-control study in China. In total, 218 patients with ESCC and 415 healthy population control participants were interviewed. Dietary selenium intake was estimated from a food frequency questionnaire with 97 food items. ALDH2 and XRCC1 polymorphisms were detected with a polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism assay.

RESULTS

The adjusted odds ratio (OR) for the highest quintile of dietary selenium intake, compared with the lowest quintile of intake, was 0.48 (95% confidence interval [95% CI], 0.25-0.89), with a strong dose-response relation (P for trend, <.01). The ALDH2 Lys and XRCC1 Gln variant alleles were associated with an increased risk of ESCC with adjusted ORs of 1.91 (95% CI, 0.96-3.80) and 1.67 (95% CI, 1.08-2.59), respectively. An elevation of the risk for ESCC was pronounced most among carriers of ALDH2 Lys/Lys and XRCC1 399Gln/Gln or Gln/Arg who consumed a low level of dietary selenium (adjusted OR, 4.16; 95% CI, 1.14-15.12).

CONCLUSIONS

To the authors' knowledge, this is the first in-depth study to suggest that genetic susceptibility may modify the association between selenium intake and the risk of ESCC. The findings indicated that individuals with low dietary selenium intake and ALDH2 Lys/Lys and XRCC1 399Gln/Gln or Gln/Arg genotypes were associated with an increased ESCC risk, especially in the presence of exposure to tobacco and alcohol carcinogens.

Predictors of esophageal cancer risk: assessment of susceptibility to DNA damage using comet assay

Individuals' susceptibility to DNA damage could be identified by mutagen-challenged assays. We tested the hypothesis that susceptibility to DNA damage, measured by comet assay, may be associated with increased esophageal cancer (EC) risk. We recruited 102 subjects with previously untreated EC and 112 healthy controls. Baseline (untreated), benzo[a]pyrene diol epoxide (BPDE)-induced, and gamma-radiation-induced DNA damage were quantified by the Olive tail moment parameter. The mean tail moment was significantly higher in cases than in controls at baseline (case vs. control: 2.6 vs. 1.9, P < 0.01), after BPDE induction (case vs. control: 3.8 vs. 2.7, P < 0.01), and after gamma-radiation-induction (case vs. control: 5.0 vs. 3.8, P < 0.01). When data were dichotomized with the median values in the controls, a significantly increased risk for EC was observed for high baseline tail moment [odds ratio (OR) = 5.7, 95% confidence interval (CI) = 2.9-11.4], high BPDE-induced tail moment (OR = 5.8, 95% CI = 2.9-11.8), and high gamma-radiation-induced tail moment (OR = 4.6, 95% CI = 2.4-8.8). Further, the association between DNA damage and EC was stronger in never smokers than in ever smokers. Compared with subjects not sensitive to both mutagens, individuals sensitive to only one mutagen showed a 3.4-fold risk for EC and those sensitive to both mutagens showed an 8.7-fold risk for EC. Thus, we conclude that susceptibility to DNA damage as assessed by comet assay might help identify individuals with high EC risk.

Polymorphisms of DNA repair gene XPD and DNA damage of workers exposed to vinylchloride monomer

Vinyl chloride monomer (VCM) is a human carcinogen. However, the exact mechanism of carcinogenesis remains unclear. 2-Chloroethylene oxide (CEO) and 2-chloroacetaldehyde (CAA), the metabolic intermediates of VCM, induce DNA damage which is mainly repaired by the nucleotide excision repair (NER) pathway. The XPD gene product and the related XPB protein are DNA helicases that are involved in transcription and NER. Polymorphisms of XPD have been implicated in chemical exposure-related health effects. In order to explore the mechanism of VCM-related health effects, a special matched case-control design (exposed workers with DNA damage and without damage) was used to investigate the association between the gene polymorphisms of XPD and DNA damage in 106 male and 44 female workers occupationally exposed to VCM. Exposure and anthropometrics information was collected through in-person interview. Such information was then used to calculate cumulative exposure doses of the workers. DNA damage in peripheral lymphocytes was measured by the single cell gel electrophoresis (SCGE) assay that identified DNA strand breaks. Genomic DNA from lymphocytes was used in genotyping assays. Genotypes of XPD Ile199Met, XPD Asp312Asn, and XPD Lys751Gln were identified by the polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism (PCR-RFLP) procedure. The results indicate that the genotypes of XPD 751Lys/Gln and Gln/Gln were significantly associated with the expression of DNA damages (OR 2.21, P<0.05, 95% CI 1.01-5.13). An interesting observation is the reduction of DNA damage for workers with high VCM exposure and possessing the XPD Asp/Asn and Asn/Asn genotypes (OR 0.33, 95% CI 0.11-0.95). Polymorphisms of XPD may therefore be a major reason of genetic susceptibility in VCM-induced DNA damage and health consequences.

Single nucleotide polymorphisms of DNA repair genes XRCC1 and XPD and its molecular mapping in Indian oral cancer

Tobacco users with diminished ability to repair somatic mutations may be more susceptible to tobacco attributable cancers. The distribution of single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in DNA repair genes XRCC1 and XPD in 110 oral carcinoma cases, 84 leukoplakia and 110 controls belonging to the Travancore South Indian population were examined. SNPs investigated included Arg194Trp, Arg280His, and Arg399Gln of the XRCC1 gene and Lys751Gln of the XPD gene. In addition, one of the variants positions, A399G, was mapped onto the BRCT I domain model built by comparative modeling (threading). Presence of the polymorphic variant of XRCC1 codon 194 and 399 and XPD was associated with increased risk of oral cancer compared to the wild genotype. Smokers and betel quid chewers with the variant allele of XRCC1 399 codon and XPD also exhibited increased risk of oral cancer. The A399G variant position mapped onto the surface of the BRCT I domain provides a possible rationale for altered XRCC1 function. These results suggest that polymorphisms in functionally important repair genes, specifically, those that map onto the protein surface may alter protein function without significantly affecting its structure.

Genetic polymorphisms in the base excision repair pathway and cancer risk: a HuGE review

Genetic variations in DNA repair genes are thought to modulate DNA repair capacity and are suggested to be related to cancer risk. However, epidemiologic findings have been inconsistent. The authors conducted meta-analyses of associations between genes in the base excision repair pathway and cancer risk, focusing on three key genes: 8-oxoguanine DNA glycosylase (OGG1), apurinic/apyrimidinic endonuclease (APE1/APEX1), and x-ray repair cross-complementing group 1 (XRCC1). They found increased lung cancer risk among subjects carrying the OGG1 Cys/Cys genotype (odds ratio (OR) = 1.24, 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.01, 1.53), using 3,253 cases and 3,371 controls from seven studies; this is consistent with experimental evidence that this isoform exhibits decreased activity. They found a protective effect of the XRCC1 194Trp allele for tobacco-related cancers (OR = 0.86, 95% CI: 0.77, 0.95), using 4,895 cases and 5,977 controls from 16 studies; this is compatible with evidence of lower mutagen sensitivity for this allele. The XRCC1 399Gln/399Gln genotype was associated with increased risk of tobacco-related cancers among light smokers (OR = 1.38, 95% CI: 0.99, 1.94) but decreased risk among heavy smokers (OR = 0.71, 95% CI: 0.51, 0.99), suggesting effect modification by tobacco smoking. There was no association between cancer risk and the APE1/APEX1 Asp148Glu and XRCC1 Arg280His polymorphisms. Recommendations for future studies include pooling of individual data to facilitate evaluation of multigenic effects and detailed analysis of effect modification by environmental exposure.

Polymorphisms of DNA repair genes XRCC1 and XRCC3, interaction with environmental exposure and risk of chronic gastritis and gastric cancer

AIM

To evaluate the association between polymorphisms XRCC1 Arg194Trp and Arg399Gln and XRCC3 Thr241Met and the risk for chronic gastritis and gastric cancer, in a Southeastern Brazilian population.

METHODS

Genotyping by PCR-RFLP was carried out on 202 patients with chronic gastritis (CG) and 160 patients with gastric cancer (GC), matched to 202 (C1) and 150 (C2) controls, respectively.

RESULTS

No differences were observed among the studied groups with regard to the genotype distribution of XRCC1 codons 194 and 399 and of XRCC3 codon 241. However, the combined analyses of the three variant alleles (194Trp, 399Gln and 241Met) showed an increased risk for chronic gastritis when compared to the GC group. Moreover, an interaction between the polymorphic alleles and demographic and environmental factors was observed in the CG and GC groups. XRCC1 194Trp was associated with smoking in the CG group, while the variant alleles XRCC1 399Gln and XRCC3 241Met were related with gender, smoking, drinking and H pylori infection in the CG and GC groups.

CONCLUSION

Our results showed no evidence of a relationship between the polymorphisms XRCC1 Arg194Trp and Arg399Gln and XRCC3 Thr241Met and the risk of chronic gastritis and gastric cancer in the Brazilian population, but the combined effect of these variants may interact to increase the risk for chronic gastritis, considered a premalignant lesion. Our data also indicate a gene-environment interaction in the susceptibility to chronic gastritis and gastric cancer.

XRCC1 polymorphisms and cancer risk: a meta-analysis of 38 case-control studies

Several potential functional polymorphisms (Arg194Trp, Arg280His, Arg399Gln) in the DNA base excision repair gene X-ray repair cross-complementing group 1 (XRCC1) have been implicated in cancer risk. Our meta-analysis on total of 11,957 cancer cases and 14,174 control subjects from 38 published case-control studies showed that the odds ratio (OR) for the variant genotypes (Trp/Trp + Arg/Trp) of the Arg194Trp polymorphism, compared with the wild-type homozygote (Arg/Arg), was 0.89 [95% confidence interval (95% CI), 0.81-0.98] for all tumor types without between-study heterogeneity. Similarly, the overall risk for the combined variant genotypes (His/His + Arg/His) of the Arg280His, compared with the wild homozygote (Arg/Arg), was 1.19 (95% CI, 1.00-1.42). However, there was no main effect in either recessive or dominant modeling for the Arg399Gln, and the variant Gln/Gln homozygote was not associated with overall cancer risk (OR, 1.01; 95% CI, 0.90-1.14). The analyses suggest that XRCC1 Arg194Trp, Arg280His polymorphisms may be biomarkers of cancer susceptibility and a single larger study with thousands of subjects and tissue-specific biochemical and biological characterization is warranted to further evaluate potential gene-to-gene and gene-to-environment interactions on XRCC1 polymorphisms and cancer risk.

Relationship between genetic polymorphisms of metabolizing enzymes CYP2E1, GSTM1 and Kazakh’s esophageal squamous cell cancer in Xinjiang, China

AIM: To analyze the relationship between genetic polym-orphisms of metabolizing enzymes CYP2E1, GSTM1 and Kazakh’s esophageal squamous cell cancer in China.

METHODS: The genotypes of cytochromes P450 (CYP) 2E1 and glutathione S-transferase (GST) M1 were investigated by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP) following PCR in 104 Kazakh’s patients with esophageal cancer (EC) and 104 non-cancer controls.

RESULTS: The frequency of CYP2E1 c1/c1 genotype was significantly higher in patients with cancer (77.9%) than in control subjects (24.0%) (P<0.05; OR, 11.13; 95%CI, 5.84-21.22). The difference of GSTM1 null was significantly more frequent in the cancer (34.6%) vs the control group (3.8%) (P<0.05; OR, 13.24; 95%CI, 4.50-38.89). On the other hand, the combination of GSTM1 presence and CYP2E1 c1/c1 genotypes increased the risk for cancer (P<0.05; OR, 13.42; 95%CI, 6.29-28.3).

CONCLUSION: The CYP2E1 c1/c1, GSTM1 deletion genotypes are genetically susceptible biomarkers for ESCC in Kazakh population. Individuals with allele c1 of RsaI polymorphic locus for CYP2E1 may increase the risk of ESCC. Moreover, CYP2E1 wild type (c1/c1) increased the susceptibility to ESCC risk in Kazakh individuals with GSTM1 presence genotype.

MS-920: DNA repair gene polymorphisms, diet and colorectal cancer risk in Taiwan

This hospital-based case-control study examined whether polymorphic DNA repair genes: XRCC1 Arg399Gln, XRCC3 Thr241Met and XPD Lys751Gln, play a role in the susceptibility to colorectal cancer. We genotyped these polymorphisms for 727 newly diagnosed colorectal adenocarcinoma cases and 736 age and sex matched healthy controls in Taiwan. Although the colorectal cancer risk was not significantly associated with these genes, the risk was significantly elevated in younger subjects (< or =60 years) with the XRCC1 399Arg/Arg genotype compared to those with XRCC1 399Gln allele (OR=1.46, 95% CI=1.06-2.99, P=0.02). The stratified analysis showed that XRCC3 interacted with meat consumption (P for interaction=0.02), but was limited to the low meat consumption (OR=2.34, 95% CI=1.28-4.29). Our results suggest that the XRCC1 Arg399Gln polymorphism may contribute to the risk of early-onset colorectal cancer and the XRCC3 Thr241Met polymorphism may modify the risk for meat-associated colorectal cancer.

Polymorphisms in DNA repair genes in the molecular pathogenesis of esophageal (Barrett) adenocarcinoma

To test the hypothesis that aberrations of DNA repair contribute to susceptibility for the progression of gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) into Barrett esophagus (BE) and esophageal adenocarcinoma (EADC), we studied the frequency of polymorphisms of selected DNA repair genes in patients with GERD (n = 126), BE (n = 125) and EADC (n = 56) enrolled in a 2-year prospective case-control study. Controls comprised 95 strictly asymptomatic healthy individuals. Using genomic DNA extracted from blood samples, we identified wild-type and polymorphic variants of XPD (Arg156Arg and Lys751Gln), XRCC1 (Arg194Trp and Arg399Gln) and XRCC3 (Thr241Met), and the poly (AT) insertion/deletion of XPC (PAT). Allelic frequencies were compared between cases and controls using logistic regression to calculate age, gender, smoking and alcohol-adjusted odds ratios (OR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI). Patients with EADC demonstrated a significantly higher frequency of the XPC PAT homozygous variant genotype compared with asymptomatic controls (OR = 3.82; 95% CI = 1.05-13.93). Significantly reduced frequencies were seen for the XPD Lys751Gln homozygous variant genotype in patients with EADC (OR = 0.24; 95% CI = 0.07-0.88), and for the XRCC1 Arg399Gln homozygous variant genotype in patients with BE (OR = 0.38; 95% CI = 0.12-0.64) and GERD (OR = 0.29; 95% CI = 0.12-0.66). We conclude that the malignant phenotype probably results from a summation of polymorphic nucleotide excision repair genes showing opposing effects (an increased risk of XPC versus a protective effect of XPD). The protective effect of the homozygous variant of XRCC1 Arg399Gln for GERD and BE suggests that base excision repair alterations may occur early in progression to EADC, likely in response to GERD-induced endogenous oxidative or inflammatory DNA damage. As GERD and BE are highly prevalent in the general population, this protective effect may well explain why only a fraction of individuals with GERD and BE progress into invasive EADC.

Influence of hOGG1, XRCC1 and XRCC3 genotypes on biomarkers of genotoxicity in workers exposed to cobalt or hard metal dusts

Identification of genetic polymorphisms responsible for reduced DNA repair capacity may allow better cancer prevention. We examined whether variations in genes involved in base-excision (hOGG1, XRCC1) and double strand break (XRCC3) DNA repair contribute to inter-individual differences in genotoxic effects induced in the lymphocytes of 21 cobalt (Co) exposed, 26 hard metal (WC-Co) exposed and 26 matched control male workers. Genotyping was performed by PCR-RFLP. DNA single strand breaks and alkali-labile sites were measured by the alkaline Comet assay. Chromosomal rearrangements resulting from chromosome loss or acentric fragments were assessed as micronucleated mononucleates (MNMC) and binucleates (MNCB) with the cytokinesis-block micronucleus test. Urinary 8-hydroxydeoxyguanosine (8-OHdG) levels were used as an indicator of systemic oxidative DNA damage. A significantly higher frequency of MNMC was observed in WC-Co exposed workers with variant hOGG1(326) genotype. Multivariate analysis performed with genotypes, age, exposure status, type of plant, smoking and their interaction terms as independent variables indicated that MNMC and Comet tail DNA (TD) were influenced by genetic polymorphisms. In the exposed and total populations, workers variant for both XRCC3 and hOGG1 had elevated MNMC frequencies. Further studies will demonstrate whether genotyping for hOGG1 and XRCC3 polymorphisms is useful for a better individual monitoring of workers.

Commentary: DNA base excision repair defects in human pathologies

DNA base excision repair (BER) is the main pathway for repair of endogenous damage in human cells. It was expected that a number of degenerative diseases could derive from BER defects. On the contrary, the link between BER defects and human pathology is elusive and the literature is full of conflicting results. The fact that most studies have investigated DNA variations but not their functional consequences has probably contributed to this confusing picture. From a functional point of view, it is likely that gross BER defects are simply not compatible with life and only limited reductions can be observed. Notwithstanding those limits, the pathological consequences of partial BER defects might be widespread and significant at the population level. This starts to emerge in particular for colorectal and lung cancer.

DNA repair gene XRCC1 polymorphisms in childhood acute lymphoblastic leukemia

Defective DNA repair has been reported to be a risk factor for various malignancies. Genetic polymorphisms of DNA repair genes are thought to result in different phenotypic features compared to the wild type. Genetic polymorphisms in XRCC1 gene could, through alteration of protein structure, lead to defective functioning of DNA Polbeta, PARP and LIG3 enzymes resulting in defective DNA repair and increased risk of childhood acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL). The role of DNA repair gene XRCC1 in susceptibility to childhood ALL has, however, not been widely studied and no data exists from Indian children. In this pilot study, through the use of PCR and RFLP, further confirmed by DNA sequencing, we have shown an increased risk of ALL among children with XRCC1 codons 194 and 399 variant genotypes. Among the three variants, only the association between codon 399 variant and risk of ALL appeared to be significant. The risk of ALL was higher in males with codons 194 and 399 polymorphisms than in females. However, no relation was found between the presence of these variant genotypes and treatment outcome.

Polymorphisms of XRCC1 and risk of esophageal and gastric cardia cancer

BACKGROUND

Linxian, a rural county in North Central China, has among the highest rates of esophageal squamous cell carcinoma and gastric cardia adenocarcinoma in the world. In a nested case-cohort study that originated from two cancer prevention trials in Linxian, we examined the relationship between these cancers and two polymorphisms in the DNA repair gene XRCC1.

METHODS

We conducted a case-cohort study among individuals in the cohort who were alive and cancer free in 1991, and had blood samples for DNA extraction. Real time Taqman analyses were conducted to genotype incident cancer cases (n = 221, 131 esophageal and 90 gastric cardia cancer cases) that developed through May 1996, and on an age- and sex-matched reference cohort (n = 454). We used Cox proportional hazard models to estimate relative risks (RR) and 95% confidence intervals (95% CI).

RESULTS

We observed no association between the variant genotype in XRCC1 Arg194Trp (codon 194 arganine to tryptophan substitution) and esophageal or gastric cardia cancer. However, carrying at least one copy of the variant allele in XRCC1 Arg399Gln (codon 399 arganine to glutamine substitution) was associated with reduced risk of gastric cardia cancer (RR: 0.60, 95% CI: 0.37-0.97) and the combined category esophageal/gastric cancer (RR: 0.67, 95% CI: 0.48-0.95). In combined polymorphisms analyses, we observed a significant reduction in risk of combined esophageal/gastric cancer among individuals that had both the XRCC1 Arg194Trp and Arg399Gln variant genotyopes (RR: 0.47, 95% CI: 0.26-0.84).

CONCLUSIONS

Our results suggest that the XRCC1 Arg399Gln variant genotype is associated with reduced risk of upper GI cancer and that individuals with both XRCC1 variant genotypes are also at significantly reduced risk of upper GI cancer in this high-risk Chinese population.

Polymorphisms of the XRCC1, XRCC3, & XPD genes, and colorectal cancer risk: a case-control study in Taiwan

BACKGROUND

Recent studies relating to the association between DNA repair-gene polymorphisms and colorectal cancer risk would, to the best of our knowledge, appear to be very limited. This study was designed to examine the polymorphisms associated with three DNA repair genes, namely: XRCC1 Arg399Gln, XRCC3 Thr241Met and XPD Lys751Gln, and investigate their role as susceptibility markers for colorectal cancer.

METHODS

We conducted a case-control study including 727 cases of cancer and 736 hospital-based age- and sex-matched healthy controls to examine the role of genetic polymorphisms of three DNA-repair genes (XRCC1, XRCC3 and XPD) in the context of colorectal cancer risk for the Taiwanese population. Genomic DNA isolated from 10 ml whole blood was used to genotype XRCC1 Arg399Gln, XRCC3 Thr241Met and XPD Lys751Gln by means of polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP) analysis.

RESULTS

The risk for colorectal cancer did not appear to differ significantly amongst individuals featuring the XRCC1 399Arg/Arg genotype (OR = 1.18; 95% CI, 0.96-1.45), the XRCC3 241Thr/Thr genotype (OR = 1.25; 95% CI, 0.88-1.79) or the XPD 751Gln allele (OR = 1.20; 95% CI, 0.90-1.61), although individuals featuring a greater number of risk genotypes (genotype with OR greater than 1) did experience a higher risk for colorectal cancer when compared to those who didn't feature any risk genotypes (Trend test P = 0.03). Compared with those individuals who didn't express any putative risk genotypes, individuals featuring all of the putative risk genotypes did experience a significantly greater cancer risk (OR = 2.43, 95% CI = 1.21-4.90), particularly for individuals suffering tumors located in the rectum (OR = 3.18, 95% CI = 1.29-7.82) and diagnosed prior to the age of 60 years (OR = 4.90, 95% CI = 1.72-14.0).

CONCLUSIONS

Our results suggest that DNA-repair pathways may simultaneously modulate the risk of colorectal cancer for the Taiwanese population, and, particularly for rectal cancer and younger patients.

Polymorphisms in DNA repair gene XRCC1 and increased genetic susceptibility to breast cancer

X-ray repair cross-complementing 1 (XRCC1) gene encodes for a scaffolding protein, which plays an important role in base excision DNA repair by bringing together DNA polymerase beta, DNA ligase III and poly(ADP-Ribose) polymerase (PARP) at the site of DNA damage. Three polymorphisms of the XRCC1 gene at codons 194, 280 and 399 leading to amino acid changes at evolutionary conserved regions are found to alter the efficiency of the resulting protein and may therefore constitute potential breast cancer risk. In the present study we sought to determine whether these genetic variants of the XRCC1 gene was associated with any increased risk of breast cancer among the South Indian women in a hospital based case control study using PCR-RFLP and DNA sequencing techniques. Our data showed a positive association between the polymorphisms of codons 194 (OR = 1.98, 95% CI = 1.13-3.48 for Trp allele) and 399 (OR = 2.14, 95% CI = 1.29-3.58 for Gln allele) and breast cancer risk. However, XRCC1 codon 280 genotype analysis showed no evidence for an association with increased risk of breast cancer. A combined analysis of the effect of XRCC1 codon 194 and 399 revealed the highest risk (OR = 3.64, 95% CI = 1.57-8.46) for carriers of the polymorphic alleles in both these codons. In conclusion, the present study suggested involvement of XRCC1 codon 194 and 399 polymorphisms in the genetic predisposition to breast cancer among South Indian women. Our preliminary results based on the analysis of functionally relevant polymorphisms in XRCC1 low penetrance gene may provide a better model that would exhibit additive effects on individual susceptibility to breast cancer.

Safrole–DNA adducts in tissues from esophageal cancer patients: clues to areca-related esophageal carcinogenesis

Epidemiological studies have demonstrated that areca quid chewing can be an independent risk factor for developing esophageal cancer. However, no studies are available to elucidate the mechanisms of how areca induces carcinogenesis in the esophagus. Since the areca nut in Taiwan contains a high concentration of safrole, a well-known carcinogenic agent, we analyzed safrole-DNA adducts by the 32P-postlabelling method in tissue specimens from esophageal cancer patients. In total, we evaluated 47 patients with esophageal cancer (16 areca chewers and 31 non-chewers) who underwent esophagectomy at the National Taiwan University Hospital between 1996 and 2002. Of the individuals with a history of habitual areca chewing (14 cigarette smokers and two non-smokers), one of the tumor tissue samples and five of the normal esophageal mucosa samples were positive for safrole-DNA adducts. All patients positive for safrole-DNA adducts were also cigarette smokers. Such adducts could not be found in patients who did not chew areca, irrespective of their habits of alcohol consumption or cigarette smoking (p<0.001, comparing the areca chewers with non-chewers). The genotoxicity of safrole was also tested in vitro in three esophageal cell lines and four cultures of primary esophageal keratinocytes. In two of the esophageal keratinocyte cultures, adduct formation was increased by treatment with safrole after induction of cytochrome P450 by 3-methyl-cholanthrene. This paper provides the first observation of how areca induces esophageal carcinogenesis, i.e., through the genotoxicity of safrole, a component of the areca juice.

X-ray repair cross-complementing group 1 polymorphisms and cancer risks in Asian populations: A mini review

X-ray repair cross-complementing group 1 (XRCC1) is an important DNA repair protein. Arg194Trp, Arg280His, and Arg399Gln are three polymorphisms of XRCC1 that commonly exist in human. In this context, we obtained the relevant articles through a PubMed search and examined the association of XRCC1 polymorphisms and the risk of cancer in Asian populations. Generally, a single XRCC1 polymorphism is weakly associated with cancer in Asian populations. However, when combined with other genetic polymorphisms or such lifestyle factors as smoking, XRCC1 polymorphisms show a stronger association with the risk of cancer. The interaction of the 399Gln/Gln genotype and smoking might be associated with a three-fold increase in the risk of cancer. In this paper we provide some important information for practical future cancer prevention programs. To further clarify the association of XRCC1 polymorphisms and cancer risks, additional studies are required from the perspectives of epidemiology and in vitro.

DNA repair gene XRCC1 polymorphisms, smoking, and esophageal cancer risk

To investigate the effect of X-ray repair cross complementing 1 (XRCC1) genetic polymorphisms on esophageal cancer risk, we determined XRCC1 polymorphisms at codon 194 (Arg --> Trp) and codon 399 (Arg --> Gln) in 135 patients with esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) and 152 normal controls from hospitals. Although polymorphism at codon 194 was not associated with risk for ESCC, we found that the frequency of XRCC1 399 Gln/Gln genotype in ESCC patients (14.1%) was significantly higher than that in normal controls (3.3%), and that XRCC1 399 Gln/Gln genotype was associated with an increased risk of ESCC (odds ratio (OR) = 5.15, 95% confidence interval (CI): 2.42-0.93). In addition, we found that the risk for smoker increased 4.2-fold than non-smokers in the 399 Gln/Gln genotype (OR = 4.20, 95% CI: 2.37-7.44). These results suggest that XRCC1 399 Gln/Gln genotype may contribute to the risk of ESCC and modify risk associated with smoking.

Association of DNA repair gene XRCC1 polymorphisms with head and neck cancer in Korean population

Squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck (SCCHN), which is relatively prevalent in Korea, is believed to be induced by environmental carcinogens and host genetic factors. Accumulating evidence has shown that genetic differences in DNA repair capacity resulting from genetic polymorphism influence the risk of environmental carcinogenesis. We therefore examined the associations of genetic polymorphisms in the DNA repair genes XRCC1 with the risk of SCCHN in a Korean population (hospital-based, case-control study; 147 cases and 168 controls). Three known polymorphisms in the XRCC1 gene were genotyped: R194W(C>T) in exon 6, R280H(G>A) in exon 9 and R399G(G>A) in exon 10. Although no significant associations were apparent with R280H(G>A) and R399G(G>A), a highly significant association (p = 0.0005) of R194W(C>T) with the increased risk (OR = 2.61; 95% CI 1.53-4.46) of SCCHN was detected among patients and normal controls under dominant model. The frequency of minor allele-containing genotypes (TT and CT) was much higher in SCCHN patients (51.8%) compared to that in normal controls (30.3%) (p = 0. 0005). When considering a relatively small number of cases (n = 147) and controls (n = 168) in our study, larger studies are needed to validate the genetic effects of XRCC1 polymorphisms in Asian populations. In conclusion, the result from our study provides additional evidence of an association of the XRCC1 polymorphism (Arg194Trp) with SCCHN as markers of genetic susceptibility in the Korean population.

Polymorphisms XRCC1-R399Q and XRCC3-T241M and the Risk of Breast Cancer at the Ontario Site of the Breast Cancer Family Registry

This study investigates the role of two nonsynonymous single nucleotide polymorphisms in DNA repair genes, X-ray repair cross-complementing group 1 (XRCC1)-R399Q and X-ray repair cross-complementing group 3 (XRCC3)-T241M, in breast cancer. Incident cases of invasive breast cancer in Caucasian women [n = 402, mean age = 45.7 (SD = 6.2) years] and female Caucasian controls [n = 402, mean age = 45.2 (6.5) years] frequency matched on 5-year age intervals were identified from the Ontario Familial Breast Cancer Registry. No evidence for a main effect of the XRCC1-R399Q genotype on breast cancer risk was observed. Estimates of risk for a family history (FH) of breast cancer compared with no FH differed by XRCC1-R399Q genotype (P value for interaction = 0.001). Homozygote XRCC1-399 R/R individuals and FH+ were at a 2.92-fold [95% confidence interval (95% CI) = 1.47–5.79] increased risk of disease compared with FH− individuals; the estimate of risk increased for R/Q heterozygotes with FH+ [odds ratio (OR) = 3.85, 95% CI = 1.94–7.65] but not for Q/Q homozygotes with FH+ (OR = 0.54, 95% CI = 0.20–1.47) compared with homozygous R/R and FH− individuals. A marginal positive association for XRCC3-241 M/M compared with T/T genotype was found (OR = 1.44, 95% CI = 0.94–2.19), but the heterozygous T/M was not associated with an increase in risk (OR = 0.96, 95% CI = 0.71–1.32). There was also some evidence for a combined effect of body mass index and XRCC3-T241M on estimates of risk. Our results suggest that these polymorphisms may influence breast cancer risk by modifying the effect of risk factors such as FH. There is a need for further study into the role of these polymorphisms as effect modifiers.

Esophageal cancer risk in relation to GGC and CAG trinucleotide repeat lengths in the androgen receptor gene

The incidence of esophageal squamous cell cancer in African males in South Africa is one of the highest in the world. Because most patients present with advanced disease such that survival is poor, the identification of high-risk individuals will facilitate early disease detection. Two polymorphic triplet repeats-(CAG)(n) and (GGC)(n)-in the androgen receptor gene were evaluated as potential genetic susceptibility loci for esophageal squamous cell cancer. Shorter lengths of these alleles have been reported to be associated with increased risk for prostate cancer. Our study sample comprised African males (29 patients and 109 controls), African females (14 patients and 59 controls) and Colored males (15 patients and 58 controls) whose alleles were analyzed singly and in combination. As in prostate cancer, the short (GGC)(n) alleles were implicated in esophageal cancer in African males: the average allele length was significantly shorter in patients compared to controls (p = 0.018), and a short (GGC)(n) allele was associated with elevated risk for disease [(GGC)(</=16) odds ratio (OR) 2.7, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.14-6.36; (GGC)(</=14) OR 3.3, 95% CI 1.29-8.44]. There was no evidence, however, that short (CAG)(n) repeat alleles increased susceptibility to the disease. When the 2 alleles were considered jointly, additional information on predisposition was gained, revealing 2 haplotypes conferring a protective effect, i.e., [(CAG)(>21) (GGC)(</=16)] OR 0.31, 95% CI 0.11-0.88; [(CAG)(</=21) (GGC)(>16)] OR 0.26, 95% CI 0.11-0.65. Analysis using logistic regression led to narrower CIs for the ORs and enabled presentation of a risk profile.

XRCC3 genetic polymorphism, smoking, and lung carcinoma risk in minority populations

BACKGROUND

The XRCC3 protein participates in DNA double-strand breaks and recombinational repair. A single C-to-T nucleotide change at codon 241 (Thr241Met) has been identified in the XRCC3 gene. Using a hospital-based case-control approach, the authors studied the XRCC3 polymorphism as a possible genetic risk factor for lung carcinoma in African Americans and Mexican Americans.

METHODS

A total of 112 patients with lung carcinoma were frequency matched with 190 control participants on the basis of age, gender, and ethnicity. Polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism molecular analysis was used successfully to identify the XRCC3 polymorphism in peripheral blood lymphocytes.

RESULTS

No significant association between the XRCC3 variant allele polymorphism (odds ratio [OR], 1.25; 95% confidence interval [95% CI], 0.72-2.15) and lung carcinoma risk was noted. However, a significantly increased risk for lung carcinoma (OR, 5.20; 95% CI, 1.59-17.03) was evident in heavy smokers with the variant T-allele genotypes. Furthermore, a joint effect of the T-allele and heavy smoking was observed (OR, 37.31; 95% CI, 11.43-121.72).

CONCLUSIONS

The XRCC3 polymorphism appeared to be associated with increased risk of lung carcinoma in certain subgroups. It is plausible that the association is very heavily dependent on the degree of smoking. Further studies with larger sample sizes will be necessary to confirm these findings.

From genotype to phenotype: correlating XRCC1 polymorphisms with mutagen sensitivity

This study correlated the extent of induced in vitro chromosomal damage, assessed by the mutagen sensitivity assay, with genotypes of the X-ray repair cross complementing group 1 (XRCC1) gene, which encodes for a base excision repair protein. There are two common polymorphisms that cause amino acid substitutions in XRCC1, one at codon 194 in exon 6 and another at codon 399 in exon 10. We genotyped these two polymorphisms in 524 healthy subjects and performed mutagen sensitivity assays using both bleomycin and benzo[a]pyrene-diol-epoxide (BPDE) as challenge mutagens. Our results showed that individuals with the wildtype exon 6 Arg/Arg exhibited significantly higher values of chromosomal breaks per cell (b/c) than those with one or two variant Trp alleles (P=0.005 for bleomycin and P=0.05 for BPDE). For the exon 10 polymorphism, subjects who were Gln/Gln homozygotes had higher b/c than did those with other genotypes, with evidence of a gene dosage effect. When we combined the two polymorphic sites and used the exon 6 Arg/Trp and Trp/Trp and exon 10 Arg/Arg genotypes as the reference category, these differences were enhanced for bleomycin sensitivity (P for trend = 0.032), but not for BPDE sensitivity (P for trend = 0.821). These data are biologically plausible since codon 399 is located within the BRCA1 C-terminus functional domain and codon 194 is in the linker region of the XRCC1 N-terminal functional domain. To our knowledge, this is the largest study conducted evaluating the functional relevance of these polymorphisms.

Polymorphisms of XRCC1 and XRCC3 genes and susceptibility to breast cancer

Mammalian cells are constantly exposed to a wide variety of genotoxic agents from both endogenous and exogenous sources. Genetic variability in DNA repair may contribute to human cancer risk. We used a case-control study design (162 cases and 302 controls) to test the association between three amino acid substitution variants of DNA repair genes (XRCC1 Arg194Trp, XRCC1 Arg399Gln, and XRCC3 Thr241Met) and breast cancer susceptibility. We found a weak association between the XRCC1 194Trp allele and breast cancer risk (adjusted odds ratio (OR)=1.98; 95% confidence interval (CI)=0.85-4.63). We also found a potential gene-gene interaction between the XRCC1 194Trp allele and XRCC3 241Met allele and breast cancer risk (adjusted OR=8.74; 95% CI=1.13-67.53). Although larger studies are needed to validate the study results, our data suggest that amino acid substitution variants of XRCC1 and XRCC3 genes may contribute to breast cancer susceptibility.

Polymorphisms in DNA repair and environmental interactions

The repair of damage to DNA is critical to the survival of a cell. However, not all organisms nor all individuals express a similar response to challenges to their genetic material. Numerous polymorphisms in genes involved in DNA repair have been found in individuals with DNA repair-related disease as well as in the general population. Studies of these variants are critical in understanding the response of the cell to DNA damage. In some cases, these changes predispose the carrier to a greatly increased risk of cancer. In other cases, the effects are subtler and depend on interactions between the alleles of several genes, or with environmental factors. Consequently, the health effects of exposure to genotoxic or carcinogenic compounds or agents can depend on the variations in these genes. This review will highlight some of the effects that variants, found in many of the genes involved in human DNA repair pathways, have on the response to damage, and their role in susceptibility of the cell and organism to environmental genotoxins. This review will concentrate on the mismatch repair, nucleotide repair, base excision repair, strand break repair, and direct alkyl repair pathways.

Polymorphisms of DNA repair genes XRCC1 and XPD and their associations with risk of esophageal squamous cell carcinoma in a Chinese population

Esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC), which is prevalent in China, is believed to be induced by environmental carcinogens. Accumulating evidence has shown that individual variation in DNA repair capacity resulting from genetic polymorphism influences risk of environmental carcinogenesis. We therefore investigated the associations between genetic polymorphisms in the DNA repair genes XRCC1 (Arg194Trp and Arg399Gln) and XPD (Asp312Asn and Lys751Gln) and risk of ESCC in an at-risk Chinese population. Genotypes were determined by a PCR-based approach in 433 patients with ESCC and 524 frequency-matched normal controls. We found that individuals with Trp/Trp genotype at XRCC1 Arg194Trp site had a 2-fold increased risk of this disease compared to Arg/Arg genotype (adjusted OR = 1.98; 95% CI 1.26-3.12). Furthermore, when compared to Arg/Arg and Arg/Trp genotype combined, homozygote for Trp/Trp genotype significantly increased the risk of developing ESCC, with the adjusted OR being 2.07 (95% CI 1.34-3.20). However, the XRCC1 Arg399Gln polymorphism was not significantly associated with risk of ESCC, with the adjusted OR being 0.87 (95% CI 0.55-1.37). Neither Asp312Asn nor Lys751Gln polymorphisms in the XPD gene influenced risk of ESCC in our study. These findings suggest that DNA repair gene XRCC1 but not XPD might play a role in esophageal carcinogenesis and might represent a genetic determinant in the development of the cancer.

Does variability in normal tissue reactions after radiotherapy have a genetic basis – where and how to look for it?

Cancer patients exhibit large patient-to-patient variability in normal tissue reactions after radiotherapy. Several observations support the hypothesis that clinical normal tissue radiosensitivity is influenced by genetic factors. However, very little is known about the genetic variation possibly underlying inter-individual differences in normal tissue reactions when unselected cancer patients undergo radiotherapy. It seems reasonable to assume that clinical radiosensitivity of normal tissues should be regarded as a so-called complex trait depending on the combined effect of several different genetic alterations. Single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) make up 90% of naturally occurring sequence variation in the human genome and SNPs in genes related to the biological response to ionising radiation may affect clinical radiosensitivity. Rare genetic variants could also possibly play an important role. Thus, the 'allelic architecture' underlying differences in normal tissue reactions may be rather complicated. Recent advances in high throughput genotyping and bio-informatics provide unprecedented opportunities to unravel the genetic basis of clinical normal tissue radiosensitivity. However, to achieve maximum benefit from these advances, carefully designed clinical studies with an accrual of hundreds or thousands of patients are probably needed.

Central role for the XRCC1 BRCT I domain in mammalian DNA single-strand break repair

The DNA single-strand break repair (SSBR) protein XRCC1 is required for genetic stability and for embryonic viability. XRCC1 possesses two BRCA1 carboxyl-terminal (BRCT) protein interaction domains, denoted BRCT I and II. BRCT II is required for SSBR during G(1) but is dispensable for this process during S/G(2) and consequently for cell survival following DNA alkylation. Little is known about BRCT I, but this domain has attracted considerable interest because it is the site of a genetic polymorphism that epidemiological studies have associated with altered cancer risk. We report that the BRCT I domain comprises the evolutionarily conserved core of XRCC1 and that this domain is required for efficient SSBR during both G(1) and S/G(2) cell cycle phases and for cell survival following treatment with methyl methanesulfonate. However, the naturally occurring human polymorphism in BRCT I supported XRCC1-dependent SSBR and cell survival after DNA alkylation equally well. We conclude that while the BRCT I domain is critical for XRCC1 to maintain genetic integrity and cell survival, the polymorphism does not impact significantly on this function and therefore is unlikely to impact significantly on susceptibility to cancer.

Relationship of tobacco smoking CYP1A1 GSTM1 gene polymorphism and esophageal cancer in Xi'an

AIM

To analyze the association of tobacco smoking polymorphism of CYP1A1 (7th exon) and GSTM1 genotype and esophageal cancer(EC) in Xi'an.

METHODS

A hospital based case-control study, with molecular epidemiological method, was carried out. Polymorphism of CYP1A1 and GSTM1 of samples from 127 EC cases and 101 controls were detected by PCR method.

RESULTS

There were no significant difference of age and gender between cases and controls. Tobacco smoking was the main risk factor OR=1.97;95% CI=1.12-3.48 for EC in Xi'an. The proportions of CYP1A1 Ile/Ile, Ile/Val and Val/Val gene types in cases and controls was 19.7% 45.7% 34.6% and 30.7%,47.5%, 21.8% respectively(P=0.049). Individuals with CYP1A1 Val/Val genotype compared to those with CYP1A1 Ile/Ile genotype had higher risk for EC increased (OR=2.48, 95%CI=1.12-5.54). The proportions of GSTM1 deletion genotype in cases and controls were 58.3% and 43.6%(OR=1.81, 95%CI=1.03-3.18, P=0.028). Analysis of gene-environment interaction showed that tobacco smoking and CYP1A1 Val/Val genotype; tobacco smoking and GSTM1 deletion genotype had synergism interaction respectively. Analysis of gene-gene interaction did not find synergistic interaction between these two genes. But in GSTM1 deletion group there was significant difference of distribution of CYP1A1 genotype between cases and controls (P=0.011).

CONCLUSION

CYP1A1 Val/Val and GSTM1 deletion genotypes are genetic susceptibility biomarkers for EC. The risk increases, when person with CYP1A1 Val/Val and/or GSTM1 deletion genotype. And these two-metabolic enzymes seem to have interactions with tobacco smoking, in which the mechanism still needs further study.

Genetic regulation of ionizing radiation sensitivity and breast cancer risk

Genetic variability in DNA repair may contribute to hypersensitivity to ionizing radiation (IR) and susceptibility to breast cancer. We used samples collected from a clinic-based breast cancer case-control study to test the working hypothesis that amino acid substitution variants of DNA repair genes may contribute to prolonged cell-cycle delay following IR and breast cancer risk. Fluorescence-activated cell sorter (FACS) analysis was used to measure cell-cycle delay. PCR-restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP) assays were used to determine four genotypes of three DNA repair genes: XRCC1, 194 Arg/Trp and 399 Arg/Gln; XRCC3, 241 Thr/Met; and APE1, 148 Asp/Glu. The data showed that breast cancer patients had a significantly higher delay index than that of controls (P < 0.001); the means +/- SD for cases and controls were 36.0 +/- 13.1 (n = 118) and 31.4 +/- 11.5 (n = 225), respectively. There was a significant dose-response relationship between delay index, categorized into quartiles, and an increasing risk of breast cancer (crude odds ratios: 1.00, 1.00, 1.27, and 2.46, respectively; P(trend) = 0.002). In controls, prolonged cell-cycle delay was significantly associated with the number of variant alleles in APE1 Asp148Glu and XRCC1 Arg399Gln genotypes (P(trend) = 0.001). Although larger studies are needed to validate the results, our data suggest that an inherited hypersensitivity to IR may contribute to human breast carcinogenesis.

XRCC1 coordinates the initial and late stages of DNA abasic site repair through protein-protein interactions

The major human AP endonuclease APE1 (HAP1, APEX, Ref1) initiates the repair of abasic sites generated either spontaneously, from attack of bases by free radicals, or during the course of the repair of damaged bases. APE1 therefore plays a central role in the base excision repair (BER) pathway. We report here that XRCC1, another essential protein involved in the maintenance of genome stability, physically interacts with APE1 and stimulates its enzymatic activities. A truncated form of APE1, lacking the first 35 amino acids, although catalytically proficient, loses the affinity for XRCC1 and is not stimulated by XRCC1. Chinese ovary cell lines mutated in XRCC1 have a diminished capacity to initiate the repair of AP sites. This defect is compensated by the expression of XRCC1. XRCC1, acting as both a scaffold and a modulator of the different activities involved in BER, would provide a physical link between the incision and sealing steps of the AP site repair process. The interaction described extends the coordinating role of XRCC1 to the initial step of the repair of DNA abasic sites.