Lymphotoxin-alpha polymorphisms and presence of cancer in 1,536 consecutive autopsy cases.
BACKGROUND
Lymphotoxin-alpha (LTA) is a pro-inflammatory cytokine with anti-tumor activity. The objective of this study was to determine whether LTA polymorphisms influence the presence of cancer.


METHODS
LTA polymorphisms C804A (rs1041981, T60N) and T495C (rs2229094, C13R) were determined in 1,536 consecutive autopsy cases and were registered in the Japanese single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) for geriatric research (JG-SNP) Internet database. Tumors were systematically reviewed, pathologically confirmed, and assessed in relation to LTA genotype.


RESULTS
The study population consisted of 827 males and 709 females, with a mean age of 80 years. Altogether, we studied 606 subjects without cancer and 930 subjects with cancer of the stomach (n = 183), lung (n = 164), colon or rectum (n = 143), or other sites. The presence of cancer was higher in males than in females. The C804A and T495C polymorphisms were associated with cancer in males (CA + AA: CC, adjusted OR = 0.72, 95% CI = 0.53 - 0.99; TC + CC: TT, adjusted OR = 1.45, 95% CI = 1.04 - 2.02; respectively) but not in females. In males, the C804A polymorphism was associated with lung cancer (CA + AA: CC, adjusted OR = 0.60, 95% CI = 0.37 - 0.97), whereas the T495C polymorphism was associated with gastric cancer (TC + CC: TT, adjusted OR = 1.68, 95% CI = 1.06 - 2.65).


CONCLUSIONS
We found some evidence of an association between LTA polymorphisms and cancer risk in elderly Japanese men. Further studies in larger populations should examine this hypothesis.
Takei
Kako
K
Department of Molecular Epidemiology, Medical Research Institute, Tokyo Medical and Dental University, Tokyo, 101-0062, Japan. takei@comilgr.com
Ikeda
Shinobu
S
Arai
Tomio
T
Tanaka
Noriko
N
Muramatsu
Masaaki
M
Sawabe
Motoji
M
D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001344:Autopsy; D030541:Databases, Genetic; D005260:Female; D005787:Gene Frequency; D005838:Genotype; D006801:Humans; D007564:Japan; D008233:Lymphotoxin-alpha / Q000235:genetics*; D008297:Male; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism*; D016017:Odds Ratio; D011110:Polymorphism, Genetic; D012737:Sex Factors
D008233:Lymphotoxin-alpha