Role of VEGF-C gene polymorphisms in susceptibility to hepatocellular carcinoma and its pathological development.
BACKGROUND
Vascular endothelial growth factor C (VEGF-C), an angiogenic/lymphangiogenic factor with high expression levels in tumor tissues, plays important roles in the development of several malignancies including hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). The purpose of this study was to examine whether VEGF-C gene polymorphisms are associated with susceptibility to HCC and its clinicopathological development.


METHODS
Genetic polymorphisms of VEGF-C of 135 patients with HCC and 520 noncancer controls were analyzed by a real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR).


RESULTS
We found that a significantly (P = 0.021) higher risk for HCC was shown in individuals with the VEGF-C rs1485766 A/A genotype compared to those with wild-type homozygotes; a high frequency of an advanced stage and a low frequency of being positive for cirrhosis were respectively shown in HCC patients with the VEGF-C rs7664413 CT/TT and rs3775194 GC/CC genotypes. Moreover, we found that the GGACA, GACTG, CGATG, and GGCTG haplotypes of five VEGF-C single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) combined were also related to the risk of HCC.


CONCLUSIONS
Our results suggest that the VEGF-C rs1485766 SNP and either of five haplotypes combined might contribute to a prediction of susceptibility to HCC. The genetic polymorphism of VEGF-C rs7664413 might be a predictive factor for advanced-stage HCC.
Institute of Medicine, Chung Shan Medical University, Taichung, Taiwan; Department of Clinical Laboratory, Chung Shan Medical University Hospital, Taichung, Taiwan.
Ming-Chang
MC
Hsieh
Hui-Ting
HT
Hsu
Pei-Ching
PC
Hsiao
Shun-Fa
SF
Yang
Chao-Bin
CB
Yeh
Mauo-Ying
MY
Bien
Chien-Huang
CH
Lin
Ming-Hsien
MH
Chien
D000328:Adult; D006528:Carcinoma, Hepatocellular / Q000235:genetics* / Q000473:pathology; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D005260:Female; D020022:Genetic Predisposition to Disease; D005838:Genotype; D006239:Haplotypes; D006801:Humans; D008113:Liver Neoplasms / Q000235:genetics* / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D020641:Polymorphism, Single Nucleotide; D013624:Taiwan; D042582:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor C / Q000235:genetics*
D042582:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor C
hepatocellular carcinoma; single-nucleotide polymorphism; vascular endothelial growth factor C