title: Association between lysyl oxidase polymorphisms and oral submucous fibrosis in older male areca chewers.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Areca use is the major cause for oral squamous cell carcinoma and oral submucous fibrosis (OSF) in South Asians. Lysyl oxidase (LOX) is a copper-activated enzyme critical for collagen cross-linking and organization of extracellular matrix. The presence of a G to A polymorphism at nucleotide 473 caused a non-conservative Arg158Gln change in the LOX amino acid sequence. OSF is a precancerous lesions characterized by the accumulation of collagen in oral submucosa. The aim of this study was to investigate the relationship between LOX Arg158Gln polymorphism and the risk of OSF.
  
  
  METHODS
  PCR-restriction fragment length polymorphisms and direct sequencing was utilized to compare LOX polymorphic allelotype in male areca-chewing controls (n = 216) and OSF (n = 83) patients.
  
  
  RESULTS
  There was a borderline of statistically significant difference in Arg158Gln genotype lying between control and OSF patients. However, the G/A+A/A of LOX Arg158Gln in OSF patients older than 50 year was statistically significantly higher than controls older than 50 year (odd's ratio: 4.48; 95% CI = 1.58-12.67).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The elder OSF patients were increased in LOX Arg158Gln. Our findings may suggest a potential application in risk population selection using LOX polymorphism for preventive intervention of OSF genesis in a subset of areca chewers.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Oral Biology, School of Dentistry, National Yang-Ming University, Taipei, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Tzong-Ming
authors.initials: TM
authors.lastname: Shieh
authors.forename: His-Feng
authors.initials: HF
authors.lastname: Tu
authors.forename: Ti-Hsuan
authors.initials: TH
authors.lastname: Ku
authors.forename: Shu-Shin
authors.initials: SS
authors.lastname: Chang
authors.forename: Kuo-Wei
authors.initials: KW
authors.lastname: Chang
authors.forename: Chung-Ji
authors.initials: CJ
authors.lastname: Liu