title: Short tandem repeat polymorphisms of exon 4 in Kazal-type gene ECRG2 in pancreatic carcinoma and chronic pancreatitis.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Short tandem repeat (STR) polymorphisms in exon 4 of the Kazal-type esophageal cancer related gene (ECRG2) have been reported to be associated with esophageal carcinoma. Kazal-type genes are associated with cancer and pancreatic disease. The aim of the present study was to examine whether ECRG2 STR polymorphisms are associated with pancreatic carcinoma and chronic pancreatitis.
  
  
  METHODS
  A total of 209 surgically treated patients were analyzed, 92 with pancreatic adenocarcinoma and 117 with chronic pancreatitis. We retrospectively analyzed genomic DNA from peripheral blood leukocytes for STR TCA3/TCA3, TCA3/TCA4 and TCA4/TCA4 in the noncoding region of exon 4 of ECRG2. Associations between STRs and survival of cancer patients were investigated using log-rank test.
  
  
  RESULTS
  ECRG2 STR of highest incidence was TCA3/TCA3 [47 (51%) in pancreatic carcinoma; 59 (50%) in pancreatitis patients], followed by the TCA3/TCA4 [37 (40%); 54 (46%)] and TCA4/TCA4 [8 (9%); 4 (4%)] genotypes. No correlation in frequency of STRs comparing chronic pancreatitis and pancreatic cancer was determined using the Chi-squared test (p = 0.23). STR polymorphisms were not significantly associated with reduced tumor-specific or overall survival (p > 0.05; log-rank test).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The data show that ECRG2 STR polymorphism TCA3/TCA3 in exon 4 is the most prevalent polymorphism found in pancreatic adenocarcinoma and chronic pancreatitis detected in peripheral blood. None of the polymorphisms was associated with poor clinical outcome in pancreatic cancer patients.
authors.affiliation: Department of General, Visceral and Thoracic Surgery, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf Martinistrasse 52, 20246 Hamburg, Germany. jkaifi@uke.uni-hamburg.de
authors.forename: Jussuf T
authors.initials: JT
authors.lastname: Kaifi
authors.forename: Guel
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Cataldegirmen
authors.forename: Robin
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Wachowiak
authors.forename: Paulus G
authors.initials: PG
authors.lastname: Schurr
authors.forename: Helge
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Kleinhans
authors.forename: Georgia
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Kosti
authors.forename: Emre F
authors.initials: EF
authors.lastname: Yekebas
authors.forename: Oliver
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Mann
authors.forename: Asad
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Kutup
authors.forename: Viacheslav
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Kalinin
authors.forename: Tim
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Strate
authors.forename: Jakob R
authors.initials: JR
authors.lastname: Izbicki
mesh_terms: D000230:Adenocarcinoma / Q000235:genetics* / Q000473:pathology; D005091:Exons; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D018895:Microsatellite Repeats; D010190:Pancreatic Neoplasms / Q000235:genetics* / Q000473:pathology; D050500:Pancreatitis, Chronic / Q000235:genetics*; D011110:Polymorphism, Genetic; D053491:Proteinase Inhibitory Proteins, Secretory; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D000074162:Serine Peptidase Inhibitors, Kazal Type; D015996:Survival Rate; D025521:Tumor Suppressor Proteins / Q000235:genetics*
chemical_list: D053491:Proteinase Inhibitory Proteins, Secretory; C473799:SPINK7 protein, human; D000074162:Serine Peptidase Inhibitors, Kazal Type; D025521:Tumor Suppressor Proteins