title: A meta-analysis of caspase 9 polymorphisms in promoter and exon sequence on cancer susceptibility.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Caspases are important regulators and executioners in apoptosis pathway and have been defined as either tumor suppressors or oncogenes. Polymorphisms in promoter and exon of caspase 9 were shown to confer genetic susceptibility to multiple cancers, but the results were inconsistent. To accomplish a more precise estimation of the relationship, a meta-analysis was performed.
  
  
  RESULTS
  We assessed published studies of the association between caspase 9 polymorphisms and cancer risk from nine studies with 5,528 subjects for rs4645978, six studies with 2,403 subjects for rs105276 and two studies for rs4645981. Overall meta-analysis indicated that no evidence of an association between rs4645978 and cancers was found. Through the stratified analysis, statistically significant reduced cancer risks were observed among Caucasians (AG vs AA: OR = 0.81, 95% CI = 0.66-0.99, P(heterogeneity) = 0.150 and the dominant model: OR = 0.86, 95% CI = 0.75-0.99, P(heterogeneity) = 0.290) and prostate cancer. As for rs105276, Ex5+32G>A polymorphism was found with protective effect in overall meta-analysis (AA vs GG: OR = 0.75, 95% CI = 0.60-0.92, P(heterogeneity) = 0.887; A vs G: OR = 0.85, 95% CI = 0.77-0.95, P(heterogeneity) = 0.739 and the recessive model: OR = 0.68, 95% CI = 0.56-0.82, P(heterogeneity) = 0.309) and Asians group. While for rs4645981, a statistically significant increase in risk of lung cancer was shown in Asians (T vs C: OR = 1.23, 95% CI = 1.07-1.42, P(heterogeneity) = 0.399 and the dominant model: OR = 1.22, 95% CI = 1.04-1.43, P(heterogeneity) = 0.660).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our meta-analysis suggests that the caspase 9 rs4645978 most likely contributes to decreased susceptibility to cancer in Caucasians and prostate cancer. The A allele of rs105276 might be a protective factor for cancer, especially for Asians. However, it seems that rs4645981 confers increased susceptibility to lung cancer in Asians.
authors.affiliation: Department of Geriatrics, The First Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, China.
authors.forename: Wei
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Xu
authors.forename: Shengqiang
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Jiang
authors.forename: Yuanyuan
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Xu
authors.forename: Bo
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Yan
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Feng
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Zong
authors.forename: Weihong
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Zhao
authors.forename: Jianqing
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Wu
mesh_terms: D044466:Asian People / Q000235:genetics; D053453:Caspase 9 / Q000235:genetics*; D005091:Exons / Q000235:genetics*; D020022:Genetic Predisposition to Disease; D006801:Humans; D008175:Lung Neoplasms / Q000235:genetics; D008297:Male; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000235:genetics*; D011110:Polymorphism, Genetic; D011401:Promoter Regions, Genetic / Q000235:genetics*; D044465:White People / Q000235:genetics
chemical_list: D053453:Caspase 9