The effect of 5'untranslated region polymorphism in EGF gene, rs4444903, on colorectal cancer.
OBJECTIVE
The purpose of this study was to determine the relationship of rs4444903 (EGF+61A/G) SNP genotype with colorectal cancer and tumor stage in an Iranian population.


BACKGROUND
Epidermal growth factor (EGF) is one of the important proteins that determine survival of cells. EGF binds to its receptor on the cell surface and then activates some of the cell signaling pathway networks within cells that lead to activation or deactivation of factors which are responsible for growth and apoptosis of cells. In this study we assessed the association in EGF polymorphism rs4444903 with colorectal cancer (CRC) in Iranian population.


METHODS
We conducted case-control study to investigate the association of polymorphism rs4444903 in EGF, with colorectal cancer risk in Iranian population. Analyzed Polymorphism of EGF rs4444903 with restriction fragment length polymorphisms (RFLP) among two groups of subjects consisting of including 220 cases with colorectal cancer and 220 healthy individuals as controls. Mutations were confirmed in 10% of the samples by direct sequencing.


RESULTS
The frequencies of AA, AG and GG genotypes among cases with colorectal cancer were 28.2, 46.8, and 25.0 % respectively and in controls genotype frequencies were 23.2, 56.4, and 20.5 %, respectively. Frequency of A allele among case group was 51.6% and for control group was 51.4%. The frequency of G allele in case and control was, respectively 48.4% and 48.6% (OR= 1.009, 95% CI= 0.775-1.315; P= 0.946). The percentage of Stage 0, I, II, III, IV were 5%, 9.35%, 38.84%, 30.21% and 16.54%, respectively, among the cases. However, no significant association between this polymorphism and CRC stage was observed (p=0.626).


CONCLUSIONS
Our data suggest a SNP rs4444903 may not represent a risk factor in the development and progression of CRC among Iranian population.
Department of Biology, Science and Research Branch, Islamic Azad University, Tehran, Iran.
Vahid
V
Chaleshi
Department of Biology, Science Faculty, East Tehran Branch, Islamic Azad University, Tehran, Iran.
Mahdi Montazer
MM
Haghighi
Department of Biology, Science and Research Branch, Islamic Azad University, Tehran, Iran.
Gholam Reza
GR
Javadi
Gastroenterology and Liver Diseases Research Center, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Science, Tehran, Iran.
Seyed Reza
SR
Fatemi
Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, School of Public Health, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
Mohsen
M
Vahedi
Gastroenterology and Liver Diseases Research Center, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Science, Tehran, Iran.
Mohammad Reza
MR
Zali
Colorectal cancer; EGF+61A/G; Epidermal growth factor; Single nucleotide polymorphism; rs4444903