title: Possible Gender-Related Modulation by the ROCK1 Gene in Colorectal Cancer Susceptibility.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  In view of accumulating evidence supporting a pivotal role of the Rho/ROCK pathway in cancer, we investigated Rho-kinase polymorphisms as potential susceptibility factors in colorectal cancer (CRC) in a representative sample of the Italian population.
  
  
  METHODS
  DNA obtained from the peripheral blood samples of 137 CRC patients and 141 healthy controls was genotyped for four ROCK1 (rs35996865; rs73963110; rs2127958; rs288980) and five ROCK2 (rs12692437; rs7563468; rs35768389; rs17463896; rs16857265) selected single nucleotide polymorphisms.
  
  
  RESULTS
  None of the allelic variants of the nine selected markers was associated with the occurrence of CRC or with the development of regional lymph node metastasis. By contrast, the ROCK1 rs35996865 G variant allele was significantly more frequent in male patients (p = 0.028) than in the control group.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This finding is, at present, the first that points to a possible gender-related modulation by the ROCK1 gene in CRC susceptibility.
authors.affiliation: Department of Experimental, Diagnostic and Specialty Medicine, University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy.
authors.forename: Cinzia
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Zucchini
authors.forename: Marcella
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Martinelli
authors.forename: Paola
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: De Sanctis
authors.forename: Maria Teresa
authors.initials: MT
authors.lastname: Rodia
authors.forename: Gabriella
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Mattei
authors.forename: Giampaolo
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Ugolini
authors.forename: Isacco
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Montroni
authors.forename: Federico
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Ghignone
authors.forename: Rossella
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Solmi
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000483:Alleles; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D015179:Colorectal Neoplasms / Q000208:ethnology / Q000235:genetics*; D005260:Female; D056726:Genetic Association Studies; D020022:Genetic Predisposition to Disease; D005838:Genotype; D006801:Humans; D007558:Italy; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D020641:Polymorphism, Single Nucleotide; D012307:Risk Factors; D012727:Sex Characteristics; D054460:rho-Associated Kinases / Q000235:genetics*
chemical_list: C515851:ROCK1 protein, human; D054460:rho-Associated Kinases