[Polymorphism in the N-acetyltransferase 2 gene in patients with lung cancer. Short communication].
BACKGROUND
Individual's risk of developing lung cancer depends not only on exposure to tobacco smoke, but also on the activity of enzymes involved in the activation or deactivation of carcinogens. Arylamine N-acetyltransferase (EC 2.3.1.5) is an enzyme involved in biotransformation of xenobiotics, mainly aromatic and heterocyclic amines and hydrazines. The different acetylation phenotypes within a population are derived from mutations in the NAT 2 gene. These mutations influence the activity (specifically resulting in high or low activity) of the NAT enzyme. Some authors have demonstrated lung cancer predisposing role of slow acetylator phenotype, whereas other reported increased lung cancer risk for fast acetylators or neutral effect of the NAT2 polymorphism. The aim of this preliminary report was to determine the NAT2 gene polymorphism in patients with lung cancer.


METHODS
39 patients with inoperable lung cancer (29 - NSCLC and 10 - SCLC), median age 59 years (42- -72) entered the study. Acetylation genotype was determined in the genomic DNA using an allele-specific polymerase chain reaction. We investigated four genetic mutations, C481T, G590A, A803G i G857A, of the gene NAT2.


RESULTS
There were 10 different NAT2 genotypes among the 39 patients. Fourteen patients with a NAT2*2 4/4, *4/5, *4/6 and *4/7 were classified as fast acetylators; and 25 patients with a NAT2*5/5, *5/6, *5/7, *6/6, *6/7 or *7/7 genotype were classified as slow acetylators. Among the 10 patients with SCLC - 4 were fast acetylators, and among 29 patients with NSCLC dominated slow acetylation type found in 19 patients (genotypes NAT2 *5/5 and NAT2 *5/6).


CONCLUSIONS
Among patients with small cell lung cancer, there was no predominance of genotype of acetylation, whereas among patients with non-small cell lung cancer predominated NAT2*5/5 and NAT2*5/6 genotypes (slow acetylators).
Zakład Mikrobiologii, Instytut Gruźlicy i Chorób Płuc Warszawa, Kierownik. a.zabost@igichp.edu.pl
Anna
A
Zabost
Barbara
B
Roszkowska-Śliż
Elżbieta
E
Wiatr
Elżbieta
E
Radzikowska
Ewa
E
Rogala
Jacek
J
Zych
Zofia
Z
Zwolska
Ewa
E
Augustynowicz-Kopeć
Kazimierz
K
Roszkowski-Śliż
Ewa
E
Szczepulska-Wójcik
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001191:Arylamine N-Acetyltransferase / Q000235:genetics*; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000235:genetics*; D005260:Female; D005838:Genotype; D006801:Humans; D008175:Lung Neoplasms / Q000201:enzymology* / Q000235:genetics*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011044:Poland; D011110:Polymorphism, Genetic; D012307:Risk Factors; D012907:Smoking / Q000009:adverse effects; D044465:White People / Q000235:genetics
D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; D001191:Arylamine N-Acetyltransferase; C478900:NAT2 protein, human