title: CYP17 genetic polymorphism in endometrial cancer: are only steroids involved?
abstract: Initiation and/or promotion of endometrial cancer is known to be associated with estrogen and androgen (androstenedione) excess as well as with hyperinsulinemia/insulin resistance. It is possible that some allelic polymorphisms of the genes involved in steroidogenesis or steroid metabolism contribute to endometrial cancer susceptibility. We evaluated here the role of CYP17 biallelic (MspAI) polymorphism in 114 endometrial cancer patients compared with 182 healthy women. Our data demonstrated that A2/A2 CYP17 genotype, considered on the basis of initial breast cancer studies as 'unfavorable', was under-represented in endometrial cancer group (odds ratio 0.48, 95% confidence interval 0.25-0.89) that confirmed results of two other recent investigations. Carriers of this genotype were characterized by having lower blood insulin (by 120 min of oral glucose tolerance test 36.7+/-3.9 microU/ml vs. 90.4+/-16.7 microU/ml in postmenopausal women with A1/A1 genotype, P=0.04) and C-peptide levels (after night fasting 575.2+/-78.3 pg/ml vs. 978.9+/-115.7 pg/ml, respectively, P=0.04). No significant difference was found between the mean concentrations of testosterone, dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate and estradiol concentrations in patients-carriers of separate CYP17 genotypes. Thus, CYP17 polymorphism (namely, carrying the 'normal' A1/A1 genotype) might be one of the risk factors for endometrial cancer development. A1/A1 CYP17 variant may be associated with untraditional (non-steroidal) pathways that calls for corresponding preventive measures in high-risk groups.
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Oncoendocrinology, Prof. N.N. Petrov Research Institute of Oncology, Pesochny-2, St. Petersburg, Russia. levmb@endocrin.spb.ru
authors.forename: Lev M
authors.initials: LM
authors.lastname: Berstein
authors.forename: Evgeny N
authors.initials: EN
authors.lastname: Imyanitov
authors.forename: Vera B
authors.initials: VB
authors.lastname: Gamajunova
authors.forename: Anatolij Ju
authors.initials: AJ
authors.lastname: Kovalevskij
authors.forename: Ekatherina Sh
authors.initials: ESh
authors.lastname: Kuligina
authors.forename: Evgeniya V
authors.initials: EV
authors.lastname: Belogubova
authors.forename: Konstantin G
authors.initials: KG
authors.lastname: Buslov
authors.forename: Maria B
authors.initials: MB
authors.lastname: Karpova
authors.forename: Alexandr V
authors.initials: AV
authors.lastname: Togo
authors.forename: Oleg N
authors.initials: ON
authors.lastname: Volkov
authors.forename: Irina G
authors.initials: IG
authors.lastname: Kovalenko
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000483:Alleles; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000201:enzymology / Q000235:genetics; D019314:Dehydroepiandrosterone Sulfate / Q000378:metabolism; D016889:Endometrial Neoplasms / Q000201:enzymology / Q000235:genetics*; D004958:Estradiol / Q000096:biosynthesis; D005260:Female; D005838:Genotype; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D016017:Odds Ratio; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D011110:Polymorphism, Genetic; D013254:Steroid 17-alpha-Hydroxylase / Q000235:genetics*; D013256:Steroids / Q000378:metabolism*; D013739:Testosterone / Q000096:biosynthesis
chemical_list: D013256:Steroids; D013739:Testosterone; D004958:Estradiol; D019314:Dehydroepiandrosterone Sulfate; D013254:Steroid 17-alpha-Hydroxylase