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Multiple Novel Prostate Cancer Predisposition Loci Confirmed by an International Study: The PRACTICAL Consortium

A recent genome-wide association study found that genetic variants on chromosomes 3, 6, 7, 10, 11, 19 and X were associated with prostate cancer risk. We evaluated the most significant single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNP) in these loci using a worldwide consortium of 13 groups (PRACTICAL). Blood DNA from 7,370 prostate cancer cases and 5,742 male controls was analyzed by genotyping assays. Odds ratios (OR) associated with each genotype were estimated using unconditional logistic regression. Six of the seven SNPs showed clear evidence of association with prostate cancer (P = 0.0007-P = 10−17). For each of these six SNPs, the estimated per-allele OR was similar to those previously reported and ranged from 1.12 to 1.29. One SNP on 3p12 (rs2660753) showed a weaker association than previously reported [per-allele OR, 1.08 (95% confidence interval, 1.00-1.16; P = 0.06) versus 1.18 (95% confidence interval, 1.06-1.31)]. The combined risks associated with each pair of SNPs were consistent with a multiplicative risk model. Under this model, and in combination with previously reported SNPs on 8q and 17q, these loci explain 16% of the familial risk of the disease, and men in the top 10% of the risk distribution have a 2.1-fold increased risk relative to general population rates. This study provides strong confirmation of these susceptibility loci in multiple populations and shows that they make an important contribution to prostate cancer risk prediction. (Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev 2008;17(8):2052–61)

DNA Repair Single-Nucleotide Polymorphisms in Colorectal Cancer and their Role as Modifiers of the Effect of Cigarette Smoking and Alcohol in the Singapore Chinese Health Study

Recently, we reported that among Singapore Chinese, cigarette smoking and alcohol drinking were independent risk factors for colorectal cancer. Both tobacco smoking and alcohol use are plausible colorectal cancer risk factors, partly due to their ability to induce mutations in the colorectal lumen. In the present study, we investigated the role in colorectal cancer of single-nucleotide polymorphisms in five DNA repair genes: XRCC1 (Arg194Trp and Arg399Gln), PARP (Val762Ala, Lys940Arg), XPD (Asp312Asn, Lys751Gln), OGG1 (Ser326Cys), and MGMT (Leu84Phe). We conducted this study within the Singapore Chinese Health Study, a population-based cohort of 63,257 middle-aged and older Singapore Chinese men and women enrolled between 1993 and 1998. Our study included 1,176 controls and 310 cases (180 colon and 130 rectum cancer). We observed a positive association between the PARP codon 940 Lys/Arg and Arg/Arg genotypes and colorectal cancer risk [odds ratio (OR), 1.8; 95% confidence interval (95% CI), 1.1-3.1], and an inverse association between the MGMT codon 84 Leu/Phe or Phe/Phe genotypes and colon cancer risk (OR, 0.6; 95% CI, 0.3-0.9), but not rectal cancer (test of heterogeneity by tumor site, P = 0.027). We observed evidence that XRCC1 may modify the effects of smoking (interaction P = 0.012). The effect of smoking among carriers of the Arg194-Gln399 haplotype was OR = 0.7 (95% CI, 0.4-1.1), whereas, among carriers of the Trp194-Arg399 haplotype, it was OR = 1.6 (95% CI, 1.1-2.5). We also observed a nonstatistically significant modification of XRCC1 on the effects of alcohol (P = 0.245). Whereas alcohol had no effect among carriers of the codon 194 Arg/Arg (OR, 1.0; 95% CI, 0.6-1.7) or Arg/Trp genotypes (OR, 1.1; 95% CI, 0.6-1.9), there was a positive association among carriers of the Trp/Trp genotype (OR, 2.8; 95% CI, 1.0-8.1). Our results support a role for reactive oxygen species as relevant genotoxins that may account for the effects of both smoking and alcohol on colorectal cancer risk. (Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev 2007;16(11):2363–72)

Polymorphisms in DNA repair genes, smoking, and bladder cancer risk: findings from the International Consortium of Bladder Cancer

Tobacco smoking is the most important and well-established bladder cancer risk factor and a rich source of chemical carcinogens and reactive oxygen species that can induce damage to DNA in urothelial cells. Therefore, common variation in DNA repair genes might modify bladder cancer risk. In this study, we present results from meta-analyses and pooled analyses conducted as part of the International Consortium of Bladder Cancer. We included data on 10 single nucleotide polymorphisms corresponding to seven DNA repair genes from 13 studies. Pooled analyses and meta-analyses included 5,282 cases and 5,954 controls of non-Latino white origin. We found evidence for weak but consistent associations with ERCC2 D312N [rs1799793; per-allele odds ratio (OR), 1.10; 95% confidence interval (95% CI), 1.01-1.19; P = 0.021], NBN E185Q (rs1805794; per-allele OR, 1.09; 95% CI, 1.01-1.18; P = 0.028), and XPC A499V (rs2228000; per-allele OR, 1.10; 95% CI, 1.00-1.21; P = 0.044). The association with NBN E185Q was limited to ever smokers (interaction P = 0.002) and was strongest for the highest levels of smoking dose and smoking duration. Overall, our study provides the strongest evidence to date for a role of common variants in DNA repair genes in bladder carcinogenesis.

Validation of Genome-Wide Prostate Cancer Associations in Men of African Descent

Background: Genome-wide association studies (GWAS) have identified numerous prostate cancer susceptibility alleles, but these loci have been identified primarily in men of European descent. There is limited information about the role of these loci in men of African descent. Methods: We identified 7,788 prostate cancer cases and controls with genotype data for 47 GWAS-identified loci. Results: We identified significant associations for SNP rs10486567 at JAZF1, rs10993994 at MSMB, rs12418451 and rs7931342 at 11q13, and rs5945572 and rs5945619 at NUDT10/11. These associations were in the same direction and of similar magnitude as those reported in men of European descent. Significance was attained at all reported prostate cancer susceptibility regions at chromosome 8q24, including associations reaching genome-wide significance in region 2. Conclusion: We have validated in men of African descent the associations at some, but not all, prostate cancer susceptibility loci originally identified in European descent populations. This may be due to the heterogeneity in genetic etiology or in the pattern of genetic variation across populations. Impact: The genetic etiology of prostate cancer in men of African descent differs from that of men of European descent. Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev; 20(1); 23–32. ©2011 AACR.

Polymorphisms in Base Excision Repair Genes as Colorectal Cancer Risk Factors and Modifiers of the Effect of Diets High in Red Meat

Background: A diet high in red meat is an established colorectal cancer (CRC) risk factor. Carcinogens generated during meat cooking have been implicated as causal agents and can induce oxidative DNA damage, which elicits repair by the base excision repair (BER) pathway. Methods: Using a family-based study, we investigated the role of polymorphisms in 4 BER genes (APEX1 Gln51His, Asp148Glu; OGG1 Ser236Cys; PARP Val742Ala; and XRCC1 Arg194Trp, Arg280His, Arg399Gln) as potential CRC risk factors and modifiers of the association between diets high in red meat or poultry and CRC risk. We tested for gene–environment interactions using case-only analyses (n = 577) and compared statistically significant results with those obtained using case-unaffected sibling comparisons (n = 307 sibships). Results: Carriers of the APEX1 codon 51 Gln/His genotype had a reduced CRC risk compared with carriers of the Gln/Gln genotype (odds ratio (OR) = 0.15, 95% CI = 0.03–0.69, P = 0.015). The association between higher red meat intake (>3 servings per week) and CRC was modified by the PARP Val762Ala single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNP; case-only interaction P = 0.026). This SNP also modified the association between higher intake of high-temperature cooked red meat (case-only interaction P = 0.0009). Conclusions: We report evidence that the BER pathway PARP gene modifies the association of diets high in red meat cooked at high temperatures with risk of CRC. Impact: Our findings suggest a contribution to colorectal carcinogenesis of free radical damage as one of the possible harmful effects of a diet high in red meat. Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev; 19(12); 3167–73. ©2010 AACR.

XRCC1, XRCC3, and XPD Polymorphisms as Modifiers of the Effect of Smoking and Alcohol on Colorectal Adenoma Risk

Using a sigmoidoscopy-based case-control study (753 cases, 799 controls) in Los Angeles County, we investigated the potential modifier role in the effect of alcohol and smoking of single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNP) in three DNA repair genes, XRCC1 (Arg194Trp and Arg399Gln), XRCC3 (Thr241Met), and XPD (Lys751Gln). We have previously reported an inverse association between the XRCC1 codon 399 SNP and adenoma risk among these subjects. We now report that subjects with the XPD Gln/Gln genotype were inversely associated with adenoma risk [odds ratio (OR), 0.7; 95% confidence interval (95% CI), 0.5-1.0] when compared with subjects with the Lys/Lys and Lys/Gln genotypes combined. This association differed between different ethnic groups (gene × race heterogeneity likelihood ratio test, P = 0.009), with a stronger inverse association among Latinos (OR, 0.1; 95% CI, 0.01-0.5) than among non-Latinos (OR, 0.9; 95% CI, 0.-1.3). We found no evidence of an XRCC3 × smoking or alcohol interaction or an XRCC1 × alcohol interaction. Instead, our data supported an XRCC1 × smoking interaction (P = 0.048). Whereas XPD did not modify the effect of smoking, our data suggested an XPD × alcohol interaction. Analyses ignoring XPD showed no association between alcohol intake and adenoma prevalence; however, among carriers of the codon 751 Gln/Gln genotype, we found a significant positive association (OR, 2.5; 95% CI, 1.2-5.2 for ever drinkers; test of interaction P = 0.04). Our data suggest that the effects of smoking and alcohol may vary depending on the genetic background of proteins that participate in the base excision repair and nucleotide excision repair pathways. (Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev 2006;15(12):2384–90)

XRCC1 and XRCC3 Polymorphisms and Their Role as Effect Modifiers of Unsaturated Fatty Acids and Antioxidant Intake on Colorectal Adenomas Risk

Whereas animal and in vitro studies support a role of unsaturated fatty acids in colon carcinogenesis, the epidemiologic evidence is inconclusive. Using a large sigmoidoscopy-based case-control study (753 cases and 799 controls) in Los Angeles County, we investigated possible associations between single-nucleotide polymorphisms in the XRCC1 (codons 194 Arg/Trp and codon 399 Arg/Gln) and XRCC3 (codon 241 Thr/Met) genes and colorectal adenoma risk and their possible role as modifiers of the effect of monounsaturated fatty acid, the ratio of ω-6/ω-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids, and antioxidant intake. We found no evidence of associations between the XRCC1 codon 194 Arg/Trp or Trp/Trp genotypes and the XRCC3 codon 241 Thr/Met or Met/Met genotypes. Subjects with the XRCC1 Gln/Gln genotype were inversely associated with adenoma risk (odds ratio, 0.6; 95% confidence interval, 0.4-0.9; P = 0.01) when compared with subjects with Arg/Arg and Arg/Gln genotypes combined. We found no evidence of gene-dietary fat interactions for the XRCC3 codon 241 polymorphism. However, our data suggest an XRCC1-unsaturated fat interaction. High monounsaturated fatty acid intake was associated with adenoma risk only among subjects with the XRCC1 codon 194 Arg/Arg and codon 399 Gln/Gln combined genotypes (P for interaction = 0.018). High ω-6/ω-3 polyunsaturated fatty acid ratios were associated with adenoma risk among subjects with the XRCC1 codon 194 Arg/Arg and codon 399 Gln/Gln or the codon 194 Arg/Trp or Trp/Trp and codon 399 Arg/Arg or Arg/Gln combined genotypes (P for interaction = 0.026). These interactions were not modified by antioxidant intake. However, low antioxidant intake was associated with an inverse association only among subjects with the XRCC1 codon 194 Arg/Trp or Trp/Trp and codon 399 Arg/Arg or Arg/Gln combined genotypes (P for interaction = 0.022), which was independent of unsaturated fat intake. Our data suggest that the XRCC1 codon 194 and codon 399 single nucleotide polymorphisms may modify the effect of unsaturated fatty acid and antioxidant intake and that this XRCC1 effect modification may explain, in part, previously reported inconsistencies on the role of unsaturated fatty acids and adenoma risk.

CARCINOGEN METABOLISM GENES, RED MEAT AND POULTRY INTAKE, AND COLORECTAL CANCER RISK

Diets high in red meat are established risk factors for colorectal cancer (CRC). Carcinogenic compounds generated during meat cooking have been implicated as causal agents. We conducted a family‐based case‐control study to investigate the association between polymorphisms in carcinogen metabolism genes (CYP1A2 ‐154A>C, CYP1B1 Leu432Val, CYP2E1 ‐1054C>T, GSTP1 Ile105Val, PTGS2 5UTR ‐765, EPHX1 Tyr113His, NAT2 Ile114Thr, NAT2 Arg197Gln and NAT2 Gly286Glu) and CRC risk. We tested for gene‐environment interactions using case‐only analyses (N = 577) and compared statistically significant results to those obtained using case‐unaffected sibling comparisons (N = 307 sibships). Our results suggested that CYP1A2 ‐154A>C might modify the association between intake of red meat cooked using high temperature methods and well done on the inside and CRC risk (case‐only interaction OR = 1.53; 95% CI = 1.19–1.97; p = 0.0008) and the association between intake of red meat heavily browned on the outside and rectal cancer risk (case‐only interaction OR = 0.65; 95% CI = 0.48–0.86; p = 0.003). We also found that GSTP1 Ile105Val might modify the association between intake of poultry cooked with high temperature methods and CRC risk (p = 0.0035), a finding that was stronger among rectal cancer cases. Our results support a role for heterocyclic amines that form in red meat as a potential explanation for the observed association between diets high in red meat and CRC. Our findings also suggest a possible role for diets high in poultry cooked at high temperatures in CRC risk.

Polyunsaturated fatty acids, DNA repair single nucleotide polymorphisms and colorectal cancer in the Singapore Chinese Health Study.

Animal and in vitrostudies support a role for polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) in colon carcinogenesis; however, the epidemiological evidence is inconclusive. Recently, we investigated their role within the Singapore Chinese Health Study, a population-based cohort of Singapore Chinese men and women. We reported that a high intake of marine n–3 PUFAs was associated with an increased risk of colorectal cancer (CRC). Oxidation of PUFAs incorporated into cell membranes generates lipid hydroperoxides, which can be mutagenic. In this report, we investigated whether single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in DNA repair genes modified the effect of PUFAs on CRC risk using a nested case-control study within the Singapore Chinese Health Study. We genotyped 1,181 controls and 311 cases (180 colon and 131 rectal cancer) for SNPs in the XRCC1 (Arg194Trp, Arg399Gln), OGG1 (Ser326Cys), PARP (Val762Ala, Lys940Arg), and XPD (Asp312Asn, Lys751Gln) genes. We observed that the PARP Val762Ala SNP modified the association between marine n–3 PUFA and rectal cancer risk, with no evidence of interaction among colon cancer (heterogeneity test p = 0.003). Our results suggest a positive association between high intake of marine n–3 PUFA and rectal cancer risk among carriers of at least one PARP codon 762 Ala allele (odds ratio = 1.7, 95% confidence interval = 1.1–2.7).

Polymorphisms in carcinogen metabolism enzymes, fish intake, and risk of prostate cancer

Cooking fish at high temperature can produce potent carcinogens such as heterocyclic amines and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons. The effects of these carcinogens may undergo modification by the enzymes responsible for their detoxification and/or activation. In this study, we investigated genetic polymorphisms in nine carcinogen metabolism enzymes and their modifying effects on the association between white or dark fish consumption and prostate cancer (PCA) risk. We genotyped 497 localized and 936 advanced PCA cases and 760 controls from the California Collaborative Case-Control Study of Prostate Cancer. Three polymorphisms, EPHX1 Tyr113His, CYP1B1 Leu432Val and GSTT1 null/present, were associated with localized PCA risk. The PTGS2 765 G/C polymorphism modified the association between white fish consumption and advanced PCA risk (interaction P 5 0.002), with high white fish consumption being positively associated with risk only among carriers of the C allele. This effect modification by PTGS2 genotype was stronger when restricted to consumption of well-done white fish (interaction P 5 0.021). These findings support the hypotheses that changes in white fish brought upon by high-temperature cooking methods, such as carcinogen accumulation and/or fatty acid composition changes, may contribute to prostate carcinogenesis. However, the gene-diet interactions should be interpreted with caution given the limited sample size. Thus, our findings require further validation with additional studies.