title: Analysis of CASP8 D302H Gene Variants in Patients with Primary Brain Tumors.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Alteration in cell-cycle control and apoptosis pathways play important roles in tumorigenesis. Caspase-8 (CASP8) is a member of the cysteine protease family, that is implicated in apoptosis regulation. The present study was designed to investigate the possible role of CASP8 D302H gene polymorphism in the tumor development.
  
  
  METHODS
  A total of 91 patients with brain tumors (including 39 meningioma and 52 glioma cases) and 114 healthy controls were included in the study. We investigated CASP8 D302H polymorphism by using polymorphism chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism (PCR-RFLP) analysis.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The CASP8 D302H polymorphism genotypic frequencies were not statistically significantly different between meningioma cases and controls, with frequencies of GG, GC and CC genotypes of 71.2%, 19,2% and 9.6%; and 57.9%, 36.8% and 5.3%, respectively. The GG/CC genotypic frequencies were significantly increased in patients with glioma patients compared to controls (p=0.023) (χ(2)=5.149, odds ratio [OR]=1.27, 95% confidence interval [CI]=1.054-1.551). According to tumor characteristics, there were no statistically significant differences within the groups with astrocytic, oligoastrocytic tumors and oligodentriogliomas.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  D302H polymorphism of CASP8 gene may be associated with increased risk of glioma but larger study groups in different ethnic populations are needed to better elucidate the role of CASP8 gene polymorphism in the pathogenesis of primary brain tumors.
authors.affiliation: Department of Molecular Medicine, Institute of Experimental Medicine, Istanbul, Turkey.
authors.forename: Canan
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Cacina
authors.affiliation: Department of Molecular Medicine, Institute of Experimental Medicine, Istanbul, Turkey.
authors.forename: Sadrettin
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Pence
authors.affiliation: Department of Molecular Medicine, Institute of Experimental Medicine, Istanbul, Turkey.
authors.forename: Saime
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Turan
authors.affiliation: Department of Molecular Medicine, Institute of Experimental Medicine, Istanbul, Turkey.
authors.forename: Feyza
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Genc
authors.affiliation: Department of Molecular Medicine, Institute of Experimental Medicine, Istanbul, Turkey.
authors.forename: Hulya
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Ozdemir
authors.affiliation: Neurosurgery Clinic, Cerrahpasa Medical Faculty, Istanbul University, Istanbul, Turkey.
authors.forename: Ali
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Kafadar
authors.affiliation: Neurosurgery Clinic, Cerrahpasa Medical Faculty, Istanbul University, Istanbul, Turkey.
authors.forename: Mehmet Yasar
authors.initials: MY
authors.lastname: Kaynar
authors.affiliation: Department of Molecular Medicine, Institute of Experimental Medicine, Istanbul, Turkey ilhanyaylim@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Ilhan
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Yaylim
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D019943:Amino Acid Substitution; D001932:Brain Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000235:genetics*; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D053181:Caspase 8 / Q000235:genetics*; D003062:Codon; D005260:Female; D005787:Gene Frequency; D056726:Genetic Association Studies; D020022:Genetic Predisposition to Disease; D005838:Genotype; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D016017:Odds Ratio; D020641:Polymorphism, Single Nucleotide
chemical_list: D003062:Codon; D053181:Caspase 8
keywords: Apoptosis; brain tumors; caspase-8; gene; genotype; glioma; meningioma; polymorphism