title: Frequent genotype changes at -308 of the human tumor necrosis factor-alpha promoter region in human uterine endometrial cancer.
abstract: This study was designed to test the hypothesis that genotypic changes of tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-alpha) promoter region are associated with endometrial cancer. TNF-alpha gene encodes a cytokine involved in angiogenesis and oncogenesis of several cancers. Some uncommon alleles are reported to be associated with increased production of TNF-alpha and the onset of various cancers. Studies of such alleles are lacking in endometrial cancer. In this study, we examined the genetic changes at the polymorphic 3 loci of TNF-alpha promoter regions (-238, -308 and 488) in 41 Japanese patients with uterine endometrial carcinomas (UEC). Nine of 41 UEC samples (22%) had genotype changes from GA to A at -308 promoter region of the TNF-alpha gene. There were no genotype changes at -238 and 488 regions of TNF-alpha in UEC samples. The results of our study demonstrate for the first time that genotype changes from GA to A in UEC patients. We conclude that the genotype changes at -308 promoter region of TNF-alpha may play an essential role in the malignant transformation of endometrial cells.
authors.affiliation: Department of Urology (112F), University of California San Francisco and VA Medical Center, San Francisco, CA 94121, USA.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Sasaki
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Nakajima
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Perinchery
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Fujino
authors.forename: B R
authors.initials: BR
authors.lastname: Oh
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Fujimoto
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Dahiya
mesh_terms: D002471:Cell Transformation, Neoplastic; D016889:Endometrial Neoplasms / Q000209:etiology / Q000235:genetics*; D005260:Female; D005787:Gene Frequency; D020022:Genetic Predisposition to Disease; D006801:Humans; D011401:Promoter Regions, Genetic / Q000235:genetics; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha / Q000235:genetics*
chemical_list: D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha