Abstract 5710: COX-1 and COX-2 polymorphisms, NSAID use, and the risk of colorectal neoplasia

Introduction: Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) reduce risk of colorectal adenomas and cancer. NSAIDs, including aspirin, target the prostaglandin H synthases, COX-1 and COX-2, which convert arachidonic acid into prostaglandins. We examined tagSNPs and candidate polymorphisms in COX-1 and COX-2 in relation to colorectal neoplasia risk and potential interactions with NSAID use.

Methods: A linkage-disequilibrium (LD)-based tagSNP-selection algorithm (r2=0.90, MAF=4%) identified tagSNPs in PTGS1 (COX-1) and PTGS2 (COX-2) representative of common genetic variation in Europeans. Including candidate polymorphisms, we genotyped 18 SNPs in PTGS1 and 17 SNPs in PTGS2. SNPs were genotyped on the same Illumina platform in three independent study populations that capture the range of colorectal carcinogenesis by including adenoma and cancer cases. We investigated these SNPs in relation to the risk of colorectal neoplasia and potential interactions with NSAID use in three US population-based case-control studies of colon cancer (n=1424) vs. controls (n=1780), rectal cancer (n=583) vs. controls (n=775), and colorectal adenoma (n=485) vs. controls (n=578). For single SNP associations, multiple logistic regression analysis was used, adjusting for age, sex, center and restricted to Caucasians (>90% of all study populations). No correction was made for multiple testing.

Results: There were no main associations with PTGS1 tagSNPs or candidate polymorphisms (R8W, P17L and L237M) and colorectal neoplasia risk. Although not statistically significant, the L15-L16 deletion allele showed a trend towards increased risk for both colon and rectal cancer, consistent with the previously reported increased adenoma risk. In PTGS2, a rare 5′ tagSNP (rs4648250, −1877A>G, MAF=1%) was associated with a marginally decreased risk of both rectal (OR: 0.24, 95% CI: 0.05-1.08) and colon cancer (OR: 0.63, 95% CI: 0.36-1.10).

NSAID use is known to reduce the risk of colorectal neoplasia and all three studies have shown the same protective effect in previous analyses. Interactions between genotypes and NSAID use essentially fell into one of two general categories: a) Individuals with the variant allele lost the protective effect of NSAID use (PTGS1 rs10306110-G, rectal p-interaction=0.02, adenoma p-int=0.08; PTGS2 rs689466-G, rectal p-int=0.03, colon p-int=0.18; rs20424-G, colon p-int=0.05; rs689469-A, colon p-int=0.03, rectal p-int=0.09).); and b) Individuals with the variant allele showed stronger protection with by NSAIDs than individuals with the wildtype genotype (PTGS1 rs6478565-G, rs10306135-T, rs10306164-G, rectal p-int=0.01-0.02).

Conclusion: These data suggest that a rare 5′ SNP in PTGS2 may predict risk of colorectal cancer and provide further evidence that genetic variability in PTGS1 and PTGS2 may modify the protective association between NSAID and colorectal neoplasia risk, especially for rectal cancer.

Citation Format: {Authors}. {Abstract title} [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 101st Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2010 Apr 17-21; Washington, DC. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2010;70(8 Suppl):Abstract nr 5710.