title: Functional polymorphisms in interleukin-23 receptor and susceptibility to esophageal squamous cell carcinoma in Chinese population.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  As a key element in the T-helper 17 (Th17) cell-mediated inflammatory process, interleukin-23 receptor (IL-23R) plays a crucial role in the pathogenesis of cancer. Single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in IL-23R have been frequently studied in several previous case-control cancer studies, but its association with esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) in Chinese population has not been investigated. This study examined whether genetic polymorphisms in IL-23R were associated with ESCC susceptibility.
  
  
  METHODS
  A hospital-based case-control study of 684 ESCC patients and 1064 healthy controls was performed to assess the association between four previous reported IL-23R genotypes (rs6682925, rs6683039, rs1884444 and rs10889677) and ESCC risk. The results revealed that the C allele of the rs10889677A>C polymorphism in the 3'UTR of IL-23R gene was inversely associated with the risk of ESCC.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The rs10889677AC genotype had significantly decreased cancer risk (odds ratio [OR]  = 0.85, 95% confidence interval [CI]  = 0.69-1.01) compared to subjects homozygous carriers of rs10889677AA, the risk decreased even further in those carrying rs10889677CC genotype (OR = 0.64, 95% CI = 0.44-0.93). No significant association was found between the other three polymorphisms and the risk of ESCC.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  These findings indicated that rs10889677A>C polymorphism in IL-23R may play a protective role in mediating the risk of ESCC.
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiovascular and Thoracic Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital, Soochow University, SuZhou, China.
authors.forename: Bin
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Ni
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiovascular and Thoracic Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital, Soochow University, SuZhou, China.
authors.forename: Shaomu
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiovascular and Thoracic Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital, Soochow University, SuZhou, China.
authors.forename: Hongya
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Xie
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiovascular and Thoracic Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital, Soochow University, SuZhou, China.
authors.forename: Haitao
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Ma
mesh_terms: D044466:Asian People; D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000235:genetics*; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D004938:Esophageal Neoplasms / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000235:genetics*; D000077277:Esophageal Squamous Cell Carcinoma; D005260:Female; D020022:Genetic Predisposition to Disease / Q000235:genetics; D005838:Genotype; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D020641:Polymorphism, Single Nucleotide / Q000235:genetics; D018123:Receptors, Interleukin / Q000235:genetics*
chemical_list: C515500:IL23R protein, human; D018123:Receptors, Interleukin