Association between leptin receptor gene polymorphisms and early-onset prostate cancer.
OBJECTIVE
To report a case-control study examining the relationship between polymorphisms in the leptin receptor (OBR) gene and the development of young-onset prostate cancer, because epidemiological studies report that prostate cancer risk is associated with animal fat intake, and thus we investigated if this association occurs via this genetic mechanism.


METHODS
The Lys109Arg (OBR1) and Gln223Arg (OBR2) polymorphisms in the coding region of OBR were studied in blood DNA from 271 patients with prostate cancer aged < 56 years at diagnosis and 277 geographically matched control subjects. Cases were collected through the Cancer Research UK/British Prostate Group Familial Prostate Cancer Study. Blood DNA was genotyped using the polymerase chain reaction and a restriction enzyme digest.


RESULTS
There was no statistically significant association between the OBR genotype and prostate cancer risk; men homozygous for 109Arg genotype had a slightly increased risk for prostate cancer, with a relative risk (95% confidence interval) of 1.36 (0.65-2.85), and those homozygous for the 223Arg allele had some reduction in prostate cancer risk, at 0.82 (0.58-1.26), but neither was statistically significant.


CONCLUSIONS
This case-control study showed no significant association between leptin receptor gene polymorphisms and the risk of young-onset prostate cancer, suggesting that genetic variations in OBR are unlikely to have a major role in the development of early-onset prostate cancer in the UK.
Kote-Jarai
Z
Z
Translational Cancer Genetics, and Molecular Epidemiology, The Institute of Cancer Research, Surrey, UK. sofia.kote-jarai@icr.ac.uk
Singh
R
R
Durocher
F
F
Easton
D
D
Edwards
S M
SM
Ardern-Jones
A
A
Dearnaley
D P
DP
Houlston
R
R
Kirby
R
R
Eeles
R
R
D000328:Adult; D017668:Age of Onset; D002352:Carrier Proteins / Q000235:genetics*; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D005838:Genotype; D006801:Humans; D047908:Intracellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011110:Polymorphism, Genetic / Q000235:genetics*; D011471:Prostatic Neoplasms / Q000235:genetics*; D012307:Risk Factors
D002352:Carrier Proteins; D047908:Intracellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins; C107590:LEPROT protein, human