title: Association of CTLA-4 gene polymorphism with oral squamous cell carcinoma.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) is a worldwide problem. The main mechanism of tumor immunity is the destruction of tumor cells by cytolytic T lymphocytes. Cytotoxic T lymphocyte-associated antigen 4 (CTLA-4; CD152), a negative regulator of T-lymphocyte activation, plays an extremely important role in the immune tolerance and anergy. This study was designed to investigate the role of CTLA-4 polymorphism in OSCC.
  
  
  METHODS
  The CTLA-4 +49 A/G polymorphism was studied in 118 patients with OSCC and 147 healthy controls by using restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP). The genotype and phenotype frequencies were evaluated in Fisher's exact test.
  
  
  RESULTS
  There was no significant difference in the frequency of CTLA-4 polymorphism between the OSCC study group and healthy controls. The CTLA-4 A/A genotype was significantly associated with a younger age of onset of OSCC (P = 0.04). The AA genotype was associated with significantly poorer survival (P = 0.003).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The present study is the first to shows that the A/A polymorphism is associated with poor survival in OSCC in Taiwan.
authors.affiliation: Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Veterans General Hospital, Taichung, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Y-K
authors.initials: YK
authors.lastname: Wong
authors.forename: K-W
authors.initials: KW
authors.lastname: Chang
authors.forename: C-Y
authors.initials: CY
authors.lastname: Cheng
authors.forename: C-J
authors.initials: CJ
authors.lastname: Liu
mesh_terms: D000225:Adenine; D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D015703:Antigens, CD; D000943:Antigens, Differentiation / Q000235:genetics*; D060908:CTLA-4 Antigen; D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology*; D017635:Clonal Anergy / Q000235:genetics; D005091:Exons / Q000235:genetics; D005260:Female; D005787:Gene Frequency / Q000235:genetics; D005838:Genotype; D006147:Guanine; D006801:Humans; D007108:Immune Tolerance / Q000235:genetics; D007141:Immunoglobulin Fc Fragments / Q000235:genetics*; D008213:Lymphocyte Activation / Q000235:genetics; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009062:Mouth Neoplasms / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology*; D010641:Phenotype; D011110:Polymorphism, Genetic / Q000235:genetics*; D015996:Survival Rate; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology
chemical_list: D015703:Antigens, CD; D000943:Antigens, Differentiation; D060908:CTLA-4 Antigen; C556706:CTLA4 protein, human; D007141:Immunoglobulin Fc Fragments; D006147:Guanine; D000225:Adenine