title: Association of single nucleotide polymorphisms in VDR and DBP genes with HBV-related hepatocellular carcinoma risk in a Chinese population.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Polymorphisms of genes encoding components of the vitamin D pathway including vitamin D receptor (VDR) and vitamin D binding protein (DBP) have been widely investigated because of the complex role played by vitamin D in cancer tumorogenesis. In this study, we investigated the association between VDR and DBP gene polymorphisms and HBV-related HCC risk in a Chinese population.
  
  
  METHODS
  Study subjects were divided into three groups: 184 HBV patients with HCC, 296 HBV patients without HCC, and 180 healthy controls. The VDR rs2228570, and rs3782905 and the DBP rs7041 polymorphisms were genotyped using PCR-RFLP and the VDR rs11568820 polymorphism was genotyped by PCR-SSP, respectively. DNA sequencing was performed to validate the genotype results.
  
  
  RESULTS
  We found that there were significant differences in the genotype and allele frequencies of the VDR rs2228570 and DBP rs7041 polymorphisms between HBV patients with HCC and healthy controls. The rs2228570 T allele was associated with a significant increased HBV-related HCC risk as compared with the C allele. The rs2228570 TT and TT/TC genotypes were correlated with a significant increased HBV-related HCC risk when compared with the wild-type CC homozygote. Similarly, the rs7041 G allele was associated with a significant increased HBV-related HCC risk as compared with the T allele. The rs7041 GG and GG/TG genotypes were correlated with a significant increased HBV-related HCC risk when compared with the wild-type TT homozygote. However, we did not observe any significant effect of VDR rs11568820, and rs3782905 polymorphisms on HBV-related HCC risk in this population. In haplotype analysis, we also did not find any significant differences in haplotype frequencies of the VDR gene between HBV patients with HCC and the healthy controls.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  We conclude that the VDR rs2228570 and DBP rs7041 polymorphisms may contribute to increased susceptibility to HBV-related HCC in the Chinese population. Due to the marginal significance, further large and well-designed studies in diverse ethnic populations are needed to confirm our results.
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical Laboratory, First Affiliated Hospital of Guangxi Medical University, Nanning, Guangxi, China.
authors.forename: Qiliu
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: Peng
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical Laboratory, First Affiliated Hospital of Guangxi Medical University, Nanning, Guangxi, China.
authors.forename: Shi
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical Laboratory, First Affiliated Hospital of Guangxi Medical University, Nanning, Guangxi, China.
authors.forename: Xianjun
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Lao
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine Research, First Affiliated Hospital of Guangxi Medical University, Nanning, Guangxi, China.
authors.forename: Ruolin
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Li
authors.affiliation: Department of Occupational Health and Environmental Health, School of Public Health at Guangxi Medical University, Nanning, Guangxi, China.
authors.forename: Zhiping
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical Laboratory, First Affiliated Hospital of Guangxi Medical University, Nanning, Guangxi, China.
authors.forename: Jian
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical Laboratory, First Affiliated Hospital of Guangxi Medical University, Nanning, Guangxi, China.
authors.forename: Xue
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Qin
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical Laboratory, First Affiliated Hospital of Guangxi Medical University, Nanning, Guangxi, China.
authors.forename: Shan
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Li
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D044466:Asian People / Q000235:genetics; D006528:Carcinoma, Hepatocellular / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000235:genetics* / Q000821:virology; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D002681:China / Q000453:epidemiology; D005260:Female; D005787:Gene Frequency; D020022:Genetic Predisposition to Disease; D005838:Genotype; D006239:Haplotypes; D006515:Hepatitis B virus / Q000302:isolation & purification; D019694:Hepatitis B, Chronic / Q000150:complications; D006801:Humans; D008099:Liver / Q000473:pathology / Q000821:virology; D008113:Liver Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000235:genetics* / Q000821:virology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D020641:Polymorphism, Single Nucleotide; D018167:Receptors, Calcitriol / Q000235:genetics*; D014809:Vitamin D-Binding Protein / Q000235:genetics*
chemical_list: D018167:Receptors, Calcitriol; D014809:Vitamin D-Binding Protein