title: [HLA-E gene polymorphisms and plasma soluble HLA-E levels and their relationship with genetic susceptibility to breast cancer].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To investigate the association of human leukocyte antigen-E (HLA-E) gene polymorphisms and plasma soluble HLA-E (sHLA-E) levels with genetic susceptibility to breast cancer in Zhangjiakou women of Han nationality.
  
  
  METHODS
  HLA-E typing was performed in 200 patients with breast cancer and 228 healthy controls from Zhangjiakou area by means of polymerase chain reaction-sequence-specific priming (PCR-SSP). Simultaneously, sHLA-E was detected by ELISA.
  
  
  RESULTS
  We found two alleles of HLA-E: HLA-E*0101 and HLA-E*0103, and three genotypes, namely HLA-E*0101/HLA-E*0101, HLA-E*0101/HLA-E*0103 and HLA-E*0103/HLA-E*0103. The frequencies of HLA-E*0103 allele and HLA-E*0103/HLA-E*0103 genotype showed a significant difference between healthy controls and patients with breast cancer. The HLA-E*0103/HLA-E*0103 genotype significantly increased the risk for breast cancer. Plasma levels of sHLA-E showed no significant difference in breast cancer patients and controls. While in breast cancer patients with HLA-E*0103/HLA-E*0103 genotype, plasma levels of sHLA-E were significantly elevated compared with those in healthy controls. HLA-E genotypes and sHLA-E levels had no obvious relationship with tumor grading.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  HLA-E gene polymorphisms are associated with the development of breast cancer in Zhangjiakou women of Han nationality. HLA-E*0103/HLA-E*0103 genotype is probably susceptible genotype for breast cancer, while plasma sHLA-E level probably has no association with breast cancer susceptibility.
authors: Department of Immunology, Hebei North University, Zhangjiakou 075000, China.
authors: Yan
authors: Y
authors: Zhou
authors: Department of Clinical Laboratory, Maternal and Child Health Hospital of Zhangjiakou City, Zhangjiakou 075000, China.
authors: Zhencun
authors: Z
authors: Wu
authors: Department of Immunology, Hebei North University, Zhangjiakou 075000, China.
authors: Yuhong
authors: Y
authors: Tang
authors: Department of Immunology, Hebei North University, Zhangjiakou 075000, China.
authors: Tianjun
authors: T
authors: Jia
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000097:blood / Q000208:ethnology / Q000235:genetics*; D002681:China / Q000208:ethnology; D005260:Female; D005787:Gene Frequency; D020022:Genetic Predisposition to Disease; D015395:Histocompatibility Antigens Class I / Q000097:blood* / Q000235:genetics*; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D011110:Polymorphism, Genetic; D000097625:HLA-E Antigens
chemical_list: D015395:Histocompatibility Antigens Class I; D000097625:HLA-E Antigens