title: Polymorphisms in SPARC and coal workers' pneumoconiosis risk in a Chinese population.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The SPARC is a crucial matricellular protein and may influence the course of various diseases like tumor metastasis and fibrosis. In the present study, we investigated the association between the potential functional polymorphisms in SPARC and coal workers' pneumoconiosis (CWP) risk in a Chinese population.
  
  
  METHODS
  Five potentially functional polymorphisms (rs1059279, rs1059829, rs1053411, rs2304052 and rs4958281) in SPARC were genotyped and analyzed in a case-control study including 697 CWP cases and 694 controls. The genotyping was used by the TaqMan method with the ABI 7900HT Real Time PCR system.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Our results revealed that three SNPs (rs1059279, rs1059829, rs1053411) were significantly associated with increased risk of CWP under an additive model (OR = 1.35, 95%CI = 1.06-1.71, P = 0.015 for rs1059279; OR = 1.20, 95%CI = 1.03-1.39, P = 0.021 for rs1059829; OR = 1.31, 95%CI = 1.03-1.65, P = 0.025 for rs1053411). In the stratification analysis, significant associations were observed between each of these three SNPs and patients with 0-20 pack-years of smoking (OR = 1.73, 95%CI = 1.21-2.45 for rs1059279; OR = 1.48, 95%CI = 1.07-2.05 for rs105982; OR = 1.58, 95%CI = 1.13-2.22 for rs1053411). Furthermore, the association between rs1059279 and CWP risk remained significant among subjects with over 27 years of exposure (OR = 1.27, 95%CI = 1.03-1.56, P = 0.023). In the combined analysis of these five polymorphisms, individuals with multiple risk alleles had a higher risk of CWP (Ptrend = 0.015).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our results indicate that three functional SPARC SNPs are associated with an increased risk of CWP in a Chinese population. Further functional research and validation studies with diverse populations are warranted to confirm our findings.
authors.affiliation: Department of Occupational Medicine and Environmental Health, School of Public Health, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, China.
authors.forename: Ting
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.affiliation: Department of Occupational Medicine and Environmental Health, School of Public Health, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, China.
authors.forename: Jingjin
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.affiliation: Department of Occupational Medicine and Environmental Health, School of Public Health, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, China.
authors.forename: Ruhui
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Han
authors.affiliation: Department of Occupational Medicine and Environmental Health, School of Public Health, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, China.
authors.forename: Xiaoming
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Ji
authors.affiliation: Department of Occupational Medicine and Environmental Health, School of Public Health, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, China.
authors.forename: Baiqun
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Wu
authors.affiliation: Department of Occupational Medicine and Environmental Health, School of Public Health, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, China.
authors.forename: Lei
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Han
authors.affiliation: Department of Occupational Medicine and Environmental Health, School of Public Health, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, China.
authors.forename: Chen
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Luo
authors.affiliation: Department of Occupational Medicine and Environmental Health, School of Public Health, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, China.
authors.forename: Jingjing
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Fan
authors.affiliation: Institute of Occupational Disease Prevention, Jiangsu Provincial Center for Disease Prevention and Control, Nanjing, China.
authors.forename: Baoli
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Zhu
authors.affiliation: Department of Occupational Medicine and Environmental Health, School of Public Health, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, China.
authors.forename: Chunhui
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Ni
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D055008:Anthracosis / Q000235:genetics*; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D002681:China; D005787:Gene Frequency; D056726:Genetic Association Studies; D020022:Genetic Predisposition to Disease; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009784:Occupational Diseases / Q000235:genetics*; D015676:Osteonectin / Q000235:genetics*; D020641:Polymorphism, Single Nucleotide; D012306:Risk
chemical_list: D015676:Osteonectin; C577241:SPARC protein, human