title: The Pro variant of the p53 codon 72 polymorphism is associated with hepatocellular carcinoma in Moroccan population.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Codon 72 polymorphism of the p53 gene has been implicated in cancer risk, and it has been suggested that it may have an impact on the clinical outcome of the disease. Our objective was to evaluate the association between p53 polymorphism at codon 72 and hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) in the Moroccan population.
  
  
  METHODS
  Genomic DNA was extracted from peripheral blood cells of 96 patients with HCC and 222 controls without HCC matched for age, gender and ethnicity. Codon 72 polymorphism of p53 was identified by PCR-restriction fragment length polymorphism, confirmed by sequencing.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Patients with HCC had higher frequencies of Pro/Pro (13.5% vs. 6.3%, P < 0.02) than controls and consequently a 2.3-fold increased risk of liver cancer development (odds ratio [OR], 2.304; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.014-5.234). In addition, we found a significant association between the p53Arg72Pro polymorphism and the female gender in HCC. Men with Pro/Pro genotype had a 1.57-fold increased risk for HCC, whereas the corresponding genotype in women had a 4.4-fold increased risk of HCC (OR, 4.4; 95% CI, 1.18-16.42). No correlation between the polymorphism and HCC risk was found when comparing the hepatitis C virus (HCV)-positive cases to HCV-positive controls. However, HCV-negative subjects and Pro/Pro genotype had a 3.31-fold increased risk for HCC.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  These results provide evidence that p53 polymorphism at codon 72 is a modifier of hepatocarcinogenesis, especially in women and HCV-negative subjects.
authors.affiliation: Laboratoire de Virologie, Institut Pasteur du Maroc, Casablanca, Morrocco.
authors.forename: Sayeh
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Ezzikouri
authors.forename: Abdellah Essaid
authors.initials: AE
authors.lastname: El Feydi
authors.forename: Abdelaziz
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Chafik
authors.forename: Mustapha
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Benazzouz
authors.forename: Latifa
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: El Kihal
authors.forename: Rajae
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Afifi
authors.forename: Mohammed
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Hassar
authors.forename: Pascal
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Pineau
authors.forename: Soumaya
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Benjelloun