title: B7-H4 gene polymorphisms are associated with sporadic breast cancer in a Chinese Han population.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  B7-H4, a co-inhibitory molecule of the B7 family, can restrain T cell proliferation, cytokine secretion and the development of cytotoxicity. B7-H4 is expressed in tumor tissues at a higher level than in normal tissues, and has a potential effect to protect tumors from anti-tumor immune responses. This case-control study was carried out to determine the potential influences of B7-H4 gene polymorphisms on the susceptibility and progression of breast cancer in Han women of Northeast China.
  
  
  METHODS
  We genotyped three B7-H4 variants (rs10754339, rs10801935 and rs3738414) and tagged all common haplotypes (frequency greater than or equal to 1%) in a Chinese population consisting of 500 breast cancer cases and 504 control individuals matched for age. Polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism (PCR-RFLP) technique was used to determine the genotypes.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Our data indicated that, compared with the common genotype and allele of each SNP, the rs10754339 AG genotype and G allele showed a significantly increased risk of breast cancer (OR = 1.455, 95% CI 1.119-1.892; OR = 1.325, 95% CI 1.073-1.637, respectively). The rs10801935 CC genotype, the rs3738414 AA genotype and the rs3738414 A allele were associated with a significantly decreased risk of breast cancer (OR = 0.328, 95% CI 0.145-0.739; OR = 0.412, 95% CI 0.203-0.835; OR = 0.698, 95% CI 0.564-0.864, respectively). Additionally, the rs10754339 GG genotype was significantly associated with lymph node metastasis and PR status, and the G allele and the AG genotype were respectively associated with lymph node metastasis and ER status. In haplotype analysis, we observed that compared with the AAG haplotype, the AAA haplotype showed a significantly decreased risk of breast cancer (OR = 0.689, 95% CI 0.539-0.881), but the GAG haplotype was associated with a significantly increased risk of breast cancer (OR = 1.511, 95% CI 1.125-2.031). And the AAA and the GCG haplotypes also respectively have significant influences on tumor size and ER status.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  These results suggest that B7-H4 gene polymorphism may contribute to the sporadic breast cancer risk and prognosis in Chinese Han women.
authors.affiliation: Department of Immunology, Harbin Medical University, Harbin, Heilongjiang, PR China. zjsxzj.029@gmail.com
authors.forename: Jie
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Mingyan
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Wei
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Jiang
authors.forename: Lihong
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Zhenkun
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Fu
authors.forename: Dalin
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Da
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Pang
authors.forename: Dianjun
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Li
mesh_terms: D044466:Asian People; D018122:B7-1 Antigen / Q000235:genetics*; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000235:genetics*; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D005260:Female; D020022:Genetic Predisposition to Disease; D005838:Genotype; D006801:Humans; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D012150:Polymorphism, Restriction Fragment Length; D020641:Polymorphism, Single Nucleotide; D011379:Prognosis; D012307:Risk Factors; D060907:V-Set Domain-Containing T-Cell Activation Inhibitor 1
chemical_list: D018122:B7-1 Antigen; D060907:V-Set Domain-Containing T-Cell Activation Inhibitor 1; C475826:VTCN1 protein, human