The modifying effect of C-reactive protein gene polymorphisms on the association between central obesity and endometrial cancer risk.
BACKGROUND
Obesity is a major risk factor for endometrial cancer. Obesity, particularly central obesity, is considered as a systemic inflammatory condition and is related strongly to insulin resistance. C-reactive protein (CRP) is the most recognized biologic marker of chronic systematic inflammation, and it is conceivable that the CRP gene may work together with obesity in the development of endometrial cancer.


METHODS
On the basis of a population-based case-control study in a Chinese population, the authors obtained obesity measurements and data on 6 CRP single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) from 1046 patients with newly diagnosed endometrial cancer (cases) and from 1035 age frequency-matched controls. The association of the CRP SNPs with endometrial cancer risk and their modification on the association between obesity and endometrial cancer risk were evaluated.


RESULTS
Although CRP SNPs alone were not associated with endometrial cancer, the associations of endometrial cancer with central obesity, measured as the waist-to-hip ratio (WHR) and the waist circumference, seemed to be stronger in women who were homozygous for the major allele of reference SNP (rs)1130864 (cytidine [C]/C) than in women who had the C/thymidine (T) and T/T genotypes (interaction test: P = .013 for WHR; P = .083 for waist circumference). When the women were stratified further by menopausal status, the observed interactions persisted mainly in premenopausal women (interaction test: P < .001 for WHR; P = .002 for waist circumference).


CONCLUSIONS
The current results suggested that, in the Chinese population that was studied, obesity-related insulin resistance and proinflammatory effects may play an important role in endometrial cancer risk, and these effects were modified significantly by the CRP SNP rs1130864.
Wen
Wanqing
W
Vanderbilt Epidemiology Center, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN 37203-1738, USA. wanqing.wen@vanderbilt.edu
Cai
Qiuyin
Q
Xiang
Yong-Bing
YB
Xu
Wang-Hong
WH
Ruan
Zhi Xian
ZX
Cheng
Jiarong
J
Zheng
Wei
W
Shu
Xiao-Ou
XO
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D015992:Body Mass Index; D002097:C-Reactive Protein / Q000235:genetics*; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D002681:China / Q000453:epidemiology; D016889:Endometrial Neoplasms / Q000235:genetics*; D005260:Female; D006239:Haplotypes; D006801:Humans; D007333:Insulin Resistance; D008875:Middle Aged; D009765:Obesity / Q000235:genetics*; D020641:Polymorphism, Single Nucleotide / Q000235:genetics*; D017697:Premenopause; D012307:Risk Factors; D049629:Waist-Hip Ratio
D002097:C-Reactive Protein