title: Genetic susceptibility to childhood acute lymphoblastic leukemia shows protection in Malay boys: results from the Malaysia-Singapore ALL Study Group.
abstract: To study genetic epidemiology of childhood acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) in the Chinese and Malays, we investigated 10 polymorphisms encoding carcinogen- or folate-metabolism and transport. Sex-adjusted analysis showed NQO1 609CT significantly protects against ALL, whilst MTHFR 677CT confers marginal protection. Interestingly, we observed that NQO1 609CT and MTHFR 1298 C-allele have greater genetic impact in boys than in girls. The combination of SLC19A1 80GA heterozygosity and 3'-TYMS -6bp/-6bp homozygous deletion is associated with reduced ALL risk in Malay boys. Our study has suggested the importance of gender and race in modulating ALL susceptibility via the folate metabolic pathway.
authors: Department of Paediatrics, Division of Haematology and Oncology, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University Health System, Singapore. allen.yeoh@nus.edu.sg
authors: Allen Eng-Juh
authors: AE
authors: Yeoh
authors: Yi
authors: Y
authors: Lu
authors: Jason Yong-Sheng
authors: JY
authors: Chan
authors: Yiong Huak
authors: YH
authors: Chan
authors: Hany
authors: H
authors: Ariffin
authors: Shirley Kow-Yin
authors: SK
authors: Kham
authors: Thuan Chong
authors: TC
authors: Quah
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D044466:Asian People; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D020022:Genetic Predisposition to Disease; D005838:Genotype; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008296:Malaysia / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D020641:Polymorphism, Single Nucleotide; D054198:Precursor Cell Lymphoblastic Leukemia-Lymphoma / Q000208:ethnology* / Q000235:genetics*; D012727:Sex Characteristics; D012846:Singapore / Q000453:epidemiology; D055815:Young Adult