The -271 G>A polymorphism of kinase insert domain-containing receptor gene regulates its transcription level in patients with non-small cell lung cancer.
BACKGROUND
Kinase insert domain-containing receptor (KDR) plays a critical role in the metastasis of cancer and is used as a molecular target in cancer therapy. We investigated the characteristics of the -271 G>A polymorphism of the KDR gene to gain information that may benefit the development of individualized therapies for patients with non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC).


METHODS
The -271 G>A polymorphism of the KDR gene in 106 lung cancer patients and 203 healthy control individuals was analyzed by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and DNA sequencing methods. Real-time quantitative PCR and immunohistochemical methods were used to evaluate KDR mRNA and protein expression levels, respectively, in frozen tumor specimens.


RESULTS
The -271 G>A polymorphism was associated with the mRNA expression level of the KDR gene in tumor tissues (t = 2.178, P = 0.032, independent samples t-test). Compared with the AG/GG genotype, the AA genotype was associated with higher KDR mRNA expression in tumor tissues. We found no relationship between the genotype and the KDR protein expression level and no significant difference in the distribution of the KDR gene polymorphism genotypes between lung cancer patients and the control group (chi2 = 1.269, P = 0.264, Fisher's exact test).


CONCLUSIONS
This study is the first to show that the -271 G>A polymorphism of the KDR gene may be a functional polymorphism related to the regulation of gene transcription. These findings may have important implications for therapies targeting KDR in patients with NSCLC.
Medical Research Center of Guangdong General Hospital, Guangdong Lung Cancer Institute, Guangdong Academy of Medical Sciences, Guangzhou, PR China. asjuan@126.com
She-Juan
SJ
An
Zhi-Hong
ZH
Chen
Qiu-Xiong
QX
Lin
Jian
J
Su
Hua-Jun
HJ
Chen
Jia-Ying
JY
Lin
Yi-Long
YL
Wu
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D044466:Asian People / Q000235:genetics; D002289:Carcinoma, Non-Small-Cell Lung / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D005260:Female; D005838:Genotype; D006801:Humans; D008175:Lung Neoplasms / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D017354:Point Mutation; D011110:Polymorphism, Genetic; D014158:Transcription, Genetic; D040301:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor Receptor-2 / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D055815:Young Adult
D040301:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor Receptor-2