title: Single nucleotide polymorphisms of the vascular endothelial growth factor gene associated with incidence of oral squamous cell carcinoma.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) plays an important role in promoting angiogenesis and is overexpressed in several malignancies. Polymorphisms of the VEGF gene can alter VEGF protein expression, which may be biologically significant and account for heterogeneity in disease risk and outcome. The aim of this case-control study was to evaluate potential associations between single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNP) of the VEGF gene with susceptibility of oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC).
  
  
  METHODS
  Five VEGF SNP (-1154 G/A, +405 G/C, +936 C/T, -2578 C/A and -460 C/T) were determined in peripheral blood isolated from 80 patients with OSCC and from 40 age- and gender-matched healthy volunteers (RT-PCR).
  
  
  RESULTS
  The +936 T allele and the -2578 C/A SNP were expressed significantly more often in the OSCC-group (P=0.002; P<0.0001) where three associations between two SNPs (+936 and +405, -2578 and -1154, -460 and -2578) were found.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our findings provide support that +936 T allele and -2578 C/A SNP of the VEGF gene alone or in combination with other SNP are associated with OSCC. The SNPs may be used as biomarker for the development of specialized anti-VEGF drugs. Further studies must confirm the value of preoperative genetic analysis for prognosis.
authors.affiliation: Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Johannes Gutenberg-University Mainz, Augustusplatz 2, Mainz, Germany. kaemmerer@mkg.klinik.uni-mainz.de
authors.forename: Peer W
authors.initials: PW
authors.lastname: Kämmerer
authors.forename: Takeshi
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Toyoshima
authors.forename: Sami
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Eletr
authors.forename: Philipp
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Kämmerer
authors.forename: Kathrin
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Kuhr
authors.forename: Bilal
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Al-Nawas
authors.forename: Jürgen
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Brieger
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D016555:Matched-Pair Analysis; D008875:Middle Aged; D009062:Mouth Neoplasms / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D020641:Polymorphism, Single Nucleotide; D012016:Reference Values; D042461:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D042461:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A