Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) is a strong risk factor for lung cancer. Published studies regarding variations of genes encoding glutathione metabolism, DNA repair, and inflammatory response pathways in susceptibility to COPD were inconclusive.

We evaluated 470 single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) from 56 genes of these 3 pathways in 620 cases and 893 controls to identify susceptibility markers for COPD risk, using existing resources. We assessed SNP- and gene-level effects adjusting for sex, age, and smoking status. Differential genetic effects on disease risk with and without lung cancer were also assessed; cumulative risk models were established.

Twenty-one SNPs were found to be significantly associated with risk of COPD (P<0.01); gene-based analyses confirmed 2 genes (GCLC and GSS) and identified 3 additional (GSTO2, ERCC1, and RRM1). Carrying 12 high-risk alleles may increase risk by 2.7-fold; 8 SNPs altered COPD risk with lung cancer 3.1-fold, and 4 SNPs altered the risk without lung cancer 2.3-fold.

Our findings indicate that multiple genetic variations in the 3 selected pathways contribute to COPD risk through GCLC, GSS, GSTO2, ERCC1, and RRM1 genes. Functional studies are needed to elucidate the mechanisms of these genes in the development of COPD, lung cancer, or both.

Although ovarian cancer is the most lethal of gynecologic malignancies, wide variation in outcome following conventional therapy continues to exist. The presence of tumor-infiltrating regulatory T cells (Tregs) has a role in outcome of this disease, and a growing body of data supports the existence of inherited prognostic factors. However, the role of inherited variants in genes encoding Treg-related immune molecules has not been fully explored. We analyzed expression quantitative trait loci (eQTL) and sequence-based tagging single nucleotide polymorphisms (tagSNPs) for 54 genes associated with Tregs in 3,662 invasive ovarian cancer cases. With adjustment for known prognostic factors, suggestive results were observed among rarer histological subtypes; poorer survival was associated with minor alleles at SNPs in RGS1 (clear cell, rs10921202, p = 2.7×10−5), LRRC32 and TNFRSF18/TNFRSF4 (mucinous, rs3781699, p = 4.5×10−4, and rs3753348, p = 9.0×10−4, respectively), and CD80 (endometrioid, rs13071247, p = 8.0×10−4). Fo0r the latter, correlative data support a CD80 rs13071247 genotype association with CD80 tumor RNA expression (p = 0.006). An additional eQTL SNP in CD80 was associated with shorter survival (rs7804190, p = 8.1×10−4) among all cases combined. As the products of these genes are known to affect induction, trafficking, or immunosuppressive function of Tregs, these results suggest the need for follow-up phenotypic studies.

Background

Mitofusin 2 (MFN2) is a mitochondrial membrane protein mediating mitochondrial fusion and function. Mutated MFN2 is responsible for Charcot-Marie-Tooth type 2A2. In small kindreds, specific MFN2 mutations have been reported to associate with severity of axonal neuropathy, optic atrophy, and involvement of the central nervous system. The results of the nerve biopsy specimens suggested that the mitochondria are structurally abnormal in patients with MFN2 mutations.

Objective

To study a newly identified MFN2 mutation, Leu146Phe, and the associated phenotypes in a large kindred.

Patients

An American kindred of Northern European and Cherokee American Indian descent.

Results

Genetic analysis revealed a novel GTPase domain MFN2 mutation Leu146Phe that associated with clinical status of 15 studied persons (10 affected and 5 unaffected) and not found in 800 control persons. Clinical manifestations were markedly different. In 1 affected person, optic atrophy and brain magnetic resonance imaging abnormalities led to multiple sclerosis diagnosis and interferon β-1a treatment when neuropathy was initially unrecognized. Age of onset ranged from 1 to 45 years. In some affected family members, severe and rapid-onset motor sensory neuropathy led to early loss of ambulation, whereas other family members experienced minimal neuropathic sensory symptoms. Despite histologically significant loss of nerve fibers, the mitochondria were not distinguishable from diseased sural nerve biopsy specimens and healthy controls.

Conclusions

Novel MFN2 mutation Leu146Phe causes Charcot-Marie-Tooth type 2A2. Intrafamilial clinical phenotype variability is emphasized and has important implications in genetic counseling. The clinical phenotype may mimic multiple sclerosis when optic atrophy and the characteristic brain lesions of MFN2 on magnetic resonance imaging are present and neuropathy is mild or unrecognized. The predicted molecular pathogenesis may occur without evident histological abnormalities of mitochondria in nerve.

Objective

Our goal was to evaluate the influence of quality control (QC) decisions using two genotype calling algorithms, CRLMM and Birdseed, designed for the Affymetrix SNP Array 6.0.

Methods

Various QC options were tried using the two algorithms and comparisons were made on subject and call rate and on association results using two data sets.

Results

For Birdseed, we recommend using the contrast QC instead of QC call rate for sample QC. For CRLMM, we recommend using the signal-to-noise rate ≥4 for sample QC and a posterior probability of 90% for genotype accuracy. For both algorithms, we recommend calling the genotype separately for each plate, and dropping SNPs with a lower call rate (<95%) before evaluating samples with lower call rates. To investigate whether the genotype calls from the two algorithms impacted the genome-wide association results, we performed association analysis using data from the GENOA cohort; we observed that the number of significant SNPs were similar using either CRLMM or Birdseed.

Conclusions

Using our suggested workflow both algorithms performed similarly; however, fewer samples were removed and CRLMM took half the time to run our 854 study samples (4.2 h) compared to Birdseed (8.4 h).

Purpose

Inherited variability in the prognosis of lung cancer patients treated with platinum-based chemotherapy has been widely investigated. However, the overall contribution of genetic variation to platinum response is not well established. To identify novel candidate SNPs/genes, we performed a genome-wide association study (GWAS) for cisplatin cytotoxicity using lymphoblastoid cell lines (LCLs), followed by an association study of selected SNPs from the GWAS with overall survival (OS) in lung cancer patients.

Experimental Design

GWAS for cisplatin were performed with 283 ethnically diverse LCLs. 168 top SNPs were genotyped in 222 small cell and 961 non-small cell lung cancer (SCLC, NSCLC) patients treated with platinum-based therapy. Association of the SNPs with OS was determined using the Cox regression model. Selected candidate genes were functionally validated by siRNA knockdown in human lung cancer cells.

Results

Among 157 successfully genotyped SNPs, 9 and 10 SNPs were top SNPs associated with OS for patients with NSCLC and SCLC, respectively, although they were not significant after adjusting for multiple testing. Fifteen genes, including 7 located within 200 kb up or downstream of the four top SNPs and 8 genes for which expression was correlated with three SNPs in LCLs were selected for siRNA screening. Knockdown of DAPK3 and METTL6, for which expression levels were correlated with the rs11169748 and rs2440915 SNPs, significantly decreased cisplatin sensitivity in lung cancer cells.

Conclusions

This series of clinical and complementary laboratory-based functional studies identified several candidate genes/SNPs that might help predict treatment outcomes for platinum-based therapy of lung cancer.

Background

Genome-wide association studies (GWAS) for epithelial ovarian cancer (EOC), the most lethal gynecologic malignancy, have identified novel susceptibility loci. GWAS for survival after EOC have had more limited success. The association of each single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) individually may not be well-suited to detect small effects of multiple SNPs, such as those operating within the same biological pathway. Gene set analysis (GSA) overcomes this limitation by assessing overall evidence for association of a phenotype with all measured variation in a set of genes.

Methods

To determine gene sets associated with EOC overall survival, we conducted GSA using data from two large GWASes (N cases = 2,813, N deaths = 1,116), with a novel Principal Component – Gamma GSA method. Analysis was completed for all cases and then separately for high grade serous (HGS) histological subtype.

Results

Analysis of the HGS subjects resulted in 43 gene sets with p<0.005 (1.7%); of these, 21 gene sets had p < 0.10 in both GWASes, including intracellular signaling pathway (p = 7.3 × 10−5) and macrolide binding (p = 6.2 ×10−4) gene sets. The top gene sets in analysis of all cases were meiotic mismatch repair (p=6.3 ×10−4) and macrolide binding (p=1.0×10−3). Of 18 gene sets with p<0.005 (0.7%), eight had p < 0.10 in both GWASes.

Conclusion

This research detected novel gene sets associated with EOC survival.

Impact

Novel gene sets associated with EOC survival might lead to new insights and avenues for development of novel therapies for EOC and pharmacogenomic studies.

Summary

Objectives

To identify venous thromboembolism (VTE) disease-susceptibility genes.

Patients/Methods

We performed in silico genome wide association (GWAS) analyses using genotype data imputed to ~2.5 million single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) from adults with objectively-diagnosed VTE (n=1503), and controls frequency-matched on age and sex (n=1459; discovery population). SNPs exceeding genome-wide significance were replicated in a separate population (VTE cases, n=1407; controls, n=1418). Genes associated with VTE were resequenced.

Results

Seven SNPs exceeded genome-wide significance (P < 5 × 10-8); four on chromosome 1q24.2 (F5 rs6025 [Factor V Leiden], BLZF1 rs7538157, NME7 rs16861990 and SLC19A2 rs2038024) and three on chromosome 9q34.2 (ABO rs2519093 [ABO intron 1], rs495828, rs8176719 [ABO blood type O allele]). The replication study confirmed a significant association of F5, NME7, and ABO with VTE. However, F5 was the main signal on 1q24.2 as only ABO SNPs remained significantly associated with VTE after adjusting for F5 rs6025. This 1q24.2 region was shown to be inherited as a haplotype block. ABO resequencing identified 15 novel single nucleotide variations (SNV) in ABO intron 6 and the ABO 3’ UTR that were strongly associated with VTE (P < 10-4) and belonged to three distinct linkage disequilibrium (LD) blocks; none were in LD with ABO rs8176719 or rs2519093. Our sample size provided 80% power to detect odds ratios=2.0 and 1.51 for minor allele frequencies=0.05 and 0.5, respectively (α=1 × 10-8; 1% VTE prevalence).

Conclusions

Aside from F5 rs6025, ABO rs8176719 and rs2519093, and F2 rs1799963, additional common and high VTE-risk SNPs among whites are unlikely.

Copy number variants (CNVs) have been implicated in many complex diseases. We examined whether inherited CNVs were associated with overall survival among women with invasive epithelial ovarian cancer. Germline DNA from 1,056 cases (494 deceased, average of 3.7 years follow-up) was interrogated with the Illumina 610 quad genome-wide array containing, after quality control exclusions, 581,903 single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) and 17,917 CNV probes. Comprehensive analysis capitalized upon the strengths of three complementary approaches to CNV classification. First, to identify small CNVs, single markers were evaluated and, where associated with survival, consecutive markers were combined. Two chromosomal regions were associated with survival using this approach (14q31.3 rs2274736 p = 1.59 × 10−6, p = 0.001; 22q13.31 rs2285164 p = 4.01 × 10−5, p = 0.009), but were not significant after multiple testing correction. Second, to identify large CNVs, genome-wide segmentation was conducted to characterize chromosomal gains and losses, and association with survival was evaluated by segment. Four regions were associated with survival (1q21.3 loss p = 0.005, 5p14.1 loss p = 0.004, 9p23 loss p = 0.002, and 15q22.31 gain p = 0.002); however, again, after correcting for multiple testing, no regions were statistically significant, and none were in common with the single marker approach. Finally, to evaluate associations with general amounts of copy number changes across the genome, we estimated CNV burden based on genome-wide numbers of gains and losses; no associations with survival were observed (p > 0.40). Although CNVs that were not well-covered by the Illumina 610 quad array merit investigation, these data suggest no association between inherited CNVs and survival after ovarian cancer.

Background

Invasive ovarian cancer is a significant cause of gynecologic cancer mortality.

Methods

We examined whether this mortality was associated with inherited variation in ~170 candidate genes/regions (993 SNPs) in a multi-stage analysis based initially on 312 Mayo Clinic cases (172 deaths). Additional analyses used The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA; 127 cases, 62 deaths). For the most compelling gene, we immunostained Mayo Clinic tissue micro-arrays (TMAs, 326 cases) and conducted consortium-based SNP replication analysis (2,560 cases, 1,046 deaths).

Results

The strongest initial mortality association was in HGF (hepatocyte growth factor) at rs1800793 (HR 1.7, 95% CI 1.3–2.2, p=2.0×10−5) and with overall variation in HGF (gene-level test, p=3.7×10−4). Analysis of TCGA data revealed consistent associations (e.g., rs5745709 [r2=0.96 with rs1800793]: TCGA 2.4, 1.4–4.1, p=2.2×10−3; Mayo Clinic+TCGA 1.6, 1.3–1.9, p=7.0×10−5) and suggested genotype correlation with reduced HGF mRNA levels (p=0.01). In Mayo Clinic TMAs, protein levels of HGF, its receptor MET, and phospho-MET were not associated with genotype and did not serve as an intermediate phenotype; however, phospho-MET was associated with reduced mortality (p=0.01) likely due to higher expression in early-stage disease. In eight additional ovarian cancer case series, HGF rs5745709 was not associated with mortality (1.0, 0.9–1.1, p=0.87).

Conclusions

We conclude that although HGF signaling is critical to migration, invasion, and apoptosis, it is unlikely that genetic variation plays a major role in ovarian cancer mortality; any minor role is not related to genetically-determined expression.

Impact

Our study demonstrates the utility of multiple data types and multiple datasets in observational studies.

Background

Mitochondria contribute to oxidative stress, a phenomenon implicated in ovarian carcinogenesis. We hypothesized that inherited variants in mitochondrial-related genes influence epithelial ovarian cancer (EOC) susceptibility.

Methods

Through a multi-center study of 1,815 Caucasian EOC cases and 1,900 controls, we investigated associations between EOC risk and 128 single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) from 22 genes/regions within the mitochondrial genome (mtDNA) and 2,839 nuclear-encoded SNPs localized to 138 genes involved in mitochondrial biogenesis (BIO, n=35), steroid hormone metabolism (HOR, n=13), and oxidative phosphorylation (OXP, n=90) pathways. Unconditional logistic regression was used to estimate odds ratios (OR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI) between genotype and case status. Overall significance of each gene and pathway was evaluated using Fisher’s method to combine SNP-level evidence. At the SNP-level, we investigated whether lifetime ovulation, hormone replacement therapy (HRT), and cigarette smoking were confounders or modifiers of associations.

Results

Inter-individual variation involving BIO was most strongly associated with EOC risk (empirical P=0.050), especially for NRF1, MTERF, PPARGC1A, ESRRA, and CAMK2D. Several SNP-level associations strengthened after adjustment for non-genetic factors, particularly for MTERF. Statistical interactions with cigarette smoking and HRT use were observed with MTERF and CAMK2D SNPs, respectively. Overall variation within mtDNA, HOR, and OXP was not statistically significant (empirical P >0.10).

Conclusion

We provide novel evidence to suggest that variants in mitochondrial biogenesis genes may influence EOC susceptibility.

Impact

A deeper understanding of the complex mechanisms implicated in mitochondrial biogenesis and oxidative stress may aid in developing strategies to reduce morbidity and mortality from EOC.

Summary

Background

Venous thromboembolism (VTE) is highly heritable (estimated heritability [h2]=0.62) and likely a result of multigenic action.

Objective

To systematically test variation within genes encoding for important components of the anticoagulant, procoagulant, fibrinolytic and innate immunity pathways for an independent association with VTE.

Methods

Non-Hispanic adults of European ancestry with objectively-diagnosed VTE, and age-, sex-group frequency matched controls were genotyped for 13,031 single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) within 764 genes. Analyses (n=12,296 SNPs) were performed with PLINK using an additive genetic model and adjusted for age, sex, state of residence, and myocardial infarction or stroke.

Results

Among 2927 individuals, one or more SNPs within ABO, F2, F5, F11, KLKB1, SELP and SCUBE1 were significantly associated with VTE, including Factor V Leiden, Prothrombin G20210A, ABO non-O blood type, and a novel association with ABO rs2519093 (OR=1.68, p-value=8.08×10−16) that was independent of blood type. In stratified analyses, SNPs in the following genes were significantly associated with VTE: F5 and ABO among both genders and LY86 among women; F2, ABO and KLKB1 among Factor V Leiden non-carriers; F5, F11, KLKB1 and GFRA1 in ABO non-O blood type; and ABO, F5, F11, KLKB1, SCUBE1 and SELP among Prothrombin G20210A non-carriers. The ABO rs2519093 population-attributable risk (PAR) exceeded that of Factor V Leiden and Prothrombin G20210A, and the joint PAR of Factor V Leiden, Prothrombin G20210A, ABO non-O and ABO rs2519093 was 0.40.

Conclusions

Anticoagulant, procoagulant, fibrinolytic and innate immunity pathway genetic variation accounts for a large proportion of VTE among non-Hispanic adults of European-ancestry.

BACKGROUND

Recent reports support an association between chronic inflammation and progression to pancreatic cancer (PC).

METHODS

This case-control, candidate gene association study evaluated 1,354 Caucasian patients with pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma and 1,189 healthy Caucasian controls. We genotyped 1,538 SNPs in 102 genes from inflammatory pathways involving NF-κB. Primary tests of association assumed a multiplicative (log-additive) genotype effect; secondary analyses examined dominant, additive and recessive SNP effects.

RESULTS

After adjusting for known risk factors for PC, single SNP analysis revealed an association between four SNPs in NOS1 and one in the CD101 gene with PC risk. These results however were not replicated in a PC case-control and cohort population.

CONCLUSION

NOS1 and CD101 may be associated with a risk of PC; however, these findings did not replicate in other pancreatic cancer populations. Future research is needed into the possible role of NOS1 and CD101 for PC.

IMPACT STATEMENT

This research demonstrates a lack of association between genetic variation in 102 inflammation-related genes and pancreatic cancer. Future research is needed into the possible role of other inflammation-related genes and pancreatic cancer risk.

Purpose

Variations in genes related to anticancer drugs' biologic activity could influence treatment responses and lung cancer prognosis. Genetic variants in four biological pathways, i.e., glutathione metabolism, DNA repair, cell cycle, and EGFR, were systematically investigated to examine their association with survival in advanced-stage NSCLC treated with chemotherapy.

Experimental Design

A total of 894 tagging single-nucleotide polymorphisms (tagSNPs) in 70 genes from the four pathways were genotyped and analyzed in a 1076-patient cohort. Association with overall survival was analyzed at single-SNP and whole-gene levels within all patients and major chemotherapy agent combination groups.

Results

A poorer overall survival was observed in patients with genetic variations in GSS (glutathione pathway) and MAP3K1 (EGFR pathway) (HR=1.45, 95% CI=1.20–1.70 and HR=1.25, 95% CI=1.05–1.50, respectively). In stratified analysis on patients receiving platinum plus taxane treatment, we observed a hazardous effect on overall survival by MAP3K1 variant (HR=1.38, 95% CI =1.11–1.72) and a protective effect by RAF1 (HR=0.64, 95% CI=0.5–0.82) in the EGFR pathway. In patients receiving platinum plus gemcitabine treatment, RAF and GPX5 (glutathione pathway) genetic variations showed protective effects on survival (HR=0.54, 95% CI=0.38–0.77; HR=0.67, 95% CI=0.52–0.85, respectively); in contrast, NRAS (EGFR pathway) and GPX7 (glutathione pathway) variations showed hazardous effects on overall survival (HR=1.91, 95% CI=1.30–2.80; HR=1.83, 95% CI=1.27–2.63, respectively). All genes that harbored these significant SNPs remained significant by whole-gene analysis.

Conclusion

Common genetic variations in genes of EGFR and glutathione pathways may be associated with overall survival among patients with advanced-stage NSCLC treated with platinum, taxane, and/or gemicitabine combinations.

Because selected xenobiotic-metabolizing enzymes process pro-carcinogens that could initiate ovarian carcinogenesis, we hypothesized that single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in the genes encoding xenobiotic-metabolizing enzymes are associated with risk of ovarian cancer. Cases with invasive epithelial ovarian cancer (N = 1,571 including 956 of serous sub-type) and controls (N = 2,046) from three studies were genotyped at 11 SNPs in EPHX1, ADH4, ADH1A, NQO2, NAT2, GSTP1, CYP1A1, and NQO1, following an initial SNP screen in a subset of participants. Logistic regression analysis of genotypes obtained via Illumina GoldenGate and Sequenom iPlex technologies revealed the following age- and study-adjusted associations: EPHX1 rs1051740 with increased serous ovarian cancer risk (per-allele odds ratio (OR) 1.17, 95% confidence interval (95% CI) 1.04–1.32, p = 0.01), ADH4 r1042364 with decreased ovarian cancer risk (OR 0.90, 95% CI 0.81–1.00, p = 0.05), and NQO1 rs291766 with increased ovarian cancer risk (OR 1.11, 95% CI 1.00–1.23, p = 0.04). These findings are consistent with prior studies implicating these genes in carcinogenesis and suggest that this collection of variants is worthy of follow-up in additional studies.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the association between 347 single-nucleotide polymorphisms within candidate genes of the tumor necrosis factor, interleukin 1 and interleukin 6 families with neutrophil count.

PATIENTS AND METHODS: Four hundred cases with heart failure after myocardial infarction (MI) were matched by age, sex, and date of incident MI to 694 controls (MI without post-MI heart failure). Both genotypes and neutrophil count at admission for incident MI were available in 314 cases and 515 controls.

RESULTS: We found significant associations between the TNFSF8 poly morphisms rs927374 (P=5.1 x 10–5) and rs2295800 (P=1.3 x 10–4) and neutrophil count; these single-nucleotide polymorphisms are in high linkage disequilibrium (r2=0.97). Associations persisted after controlling for clinical characteristics and were unchanged after adjusting for case-control status. For rs927374, the neutrophil count of GG homozygotes (7.6±5.1) was 16% lower than that of CC homozygotes (9.0±5.2).

CONCLUSION: The TNFSF8 polymorphisms rs927374 and rs2295800 were associated with neutrophil count. This finding suggests that post-MI inflammatory response is genetically modulated.

ATIC, SHMT2, and SLC46A1 have essential roles in one-carbon (1-C) transfer. The authors examined whether associations between ovarian carcinoma and 15 variants in these genes are modified by regular multivitamin use, a source of 1-C donors, among Caucasian participants from two US case–control studies. Using a phased study design, variant-by-multivitamin interactions were tested, and associations between variants and ovarian carcinoma were reported stratified by multivitamin supplement use. Per-allele risk associations were modified by multivitamin use at six variants among 655 cases and 920 controls (Phase 1). In a larger sample of 968 cases and 1,265 controls (Phases 1 and 2), interactions were significant (P ≤ 0.03) for two variants, particularly among regular multivitamin users: ATIC rs7586969 [odds ratio (OR) = 0.7, 95% confidence interval (CI) = 0.6–0.9] and ATIC rs16853834 (OR = 1.5, 95% CI = 1.1–2.0). The two ATIC single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) did not share the same haplotype; however, the haplotypes they comprised mirrored their SNP risk associations among regular multivitamin supplement users. A multi-variant analysis was also performed by comparing the observed likelihood ratio test statistic from adjusted models with and without the two ATIC variant-by-multivitamin interaction terms with a null distribution of test statistics generated by permuting case status 10,000 times. The corresponding observed P value of 0.001 was more extreme than the permutation-derived P value of 0.009, suggesting rejection of the null hypothesis of no association. In summary, there is little statistical evidence that the 15 variants are independently associated with risk of ovarian carcinoma. However, the statistical interaction of ATIC variants with regular multivitamin intake, when evaluated at both the SNP and gene level, may support these findings as relevant to ovarian health and disease processes.

Background

Single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in microRNA-related genes have been associated with epithelial ovarian cancer (EOC) risk in two reports, yet associated alleles may be inconsistent across studies.

Methods

We conducted a pooled analysis of previously-identified SNPs by combining genotype data from 3,973 invasive EOC cases and 3,276 controls from the Ovarian Cancer Association Consortium. We also conducted imputation to obtain dense coverage of genes and comparable genotype data for all studies. In total, 226 SNPs within 15 kilobases of 4 miRNA biogenesis genes (DDX20, DROSHA, GEMIN4, and XPO5) and 23 SNPs located within putative miRNA binding sites of 6 genes (CAV1, COL18A1, E2F2, IL1R1, KRAS, and UGT2A3) were genotyped or imputed and analyzed in the entire dataset.

Results

After adjustment for European ancestry, no overall association was observed between any of the analyzed SNPs and EOC risk.

Conclusions

Common variants in these evaluated genes do not appear to be strongly associated with EOC risk.

Impact

This analysis suggests earlier associations between EOC risk and SNPs in these genes may have been chance findings, possibly confounded by population admixture. To more adequately evaluate the relationship between genetic variants and cancer risk, large sample sizes are needed, adjustment for population stratification should be performed, and use of imputed SNP data should be considered.

Objective

To investigate the association between self-reported endometriosis and the putative functional promoter +331C/T single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) and the PROGINS allele.

Design

Control subjects from ovarian cancer case-control studies participating in the international Ovarian Cancer Association Consortium. The majority of controls are drawn from population-based studies.

Setting

An international ovarian cancer consortium including studies from the Australia, Europe and the United States,

Patients

5,812 White female controls, of whom 348 had endometriosis, from eight ovarian cancer case-control studies.

Interventions

None.

Main Outcome Measures

Genotypes for the +331C/T SNP and PROGINS allele and a history of endometriosis.

Results

The occurrence of endometriosis was reduced in women carrying one or more copies of the +331 T allele (OR=0.65; 95% CI: 0.43–0.98, p=0.042), whereas there was no association between the PROGINS allele and endometriosis (OR=0.94, 95% CI 0.76, 1.16).

Conclusions

Additional studies of the +331C/T variant are warranted given the current finding and the equivocal results of previous studies. The +331 T allele has been shown to result in a reduced PR-A to PR-B ratio and if the observed association with endometriosis is confirmed it would suggest that this ratio is important for this disease.

DNA methyltransferase 1 (DNMT1) is crucial for maintenance of methylation, gene regulation and chromatin stability1-3. DNA mismatch repair, cell cycle regulation in post-mitotic neurons4,5 and neurogenesis6 are influenced by DNA methylation. Here we show mutations in DNMT1 cause both central and peripheral neurodegeneration in one form of hereditary sensory and autonomic neuropathy (HSAN1) with dementia and hearing loss7,8. Exome sequencing led to the identification of DNMT1 mutation c.A1484G (p.Tyr495Cys) in two American and one Japanese kindreds and a triple nucleotide change c.1470TCC-1472ATA (p.Asp490Glu-Pro491Tyr) in one European kindred. All mutations are within the targeting sequence (TS) domain of DNMT1. These mutations cause premature degradation of mutant proteins, reduced methyltransferase activity and impaired heterochromatin binding during the G2 cell cycle phase, leading to global hypomethylation and site specific hypermethylation. Our study demonstrates DNMT1 mutations cause aberrant methylation implicated in complex pathogenesis. The discovered DNMT1 mutations provide a new framework for the study of neurodegenerative diseases.

Defective miRNA biogenesis contributes to the development and progression of epithelial ovarian cancer (EOC). In this study, we examined the hypothesis that single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in miRNA biogenesis genes may influence EOC risk. In an initial investigation, 318 SNPs in 18 genes were evaluated among 1,815 EOC cases and 1,900 controls, followed up by a replicative joint meta-analysis of data from an additional 2,172 cases and 3,052 controls. Of 23 SNPs from 9 genes associated with risk (empirical P<0.05) in the initial investigation, the meta-analysis replicated 6 SNPs from the DROSHA, FMR1, LIN28, and LIN28B genes, including rs12194974 (G>A), a SNP in a putative transcription factor binding site in the LIN28B promoter region (summary OR=0.90, 95% CI: 0.82–0.98; P=0.015) which has been recently implicated in age of menarche and other phenotypes. Consistent with reports that LIN28B over-expression in EOC contributes to tumorigenesis by repressing tumor suppressor let-7 expression, we provide data from luciferase reporter assays and quantitative RT-PCR to suggest that the inverse association among rs12194974 A allele carriers may be due to reduced LIN28B expression. Our findings suggest that variants in LIN28B and possibly other miRNA biogenesis genes may influence EOC susceptibility.

We conducted a genome-wide SNP association study on prostate cancer on over 23,000 Icelanders, followed by a replication study including over 15,500 individuals from Europe and the United States. Two newly identified variants were shown to be associated with prostate cancer: rs5945572 on Xp11.22 and rs721048 on 2p15 (odds ratios (OR) = 1.23 and 1.15; P = 3.9 × 10−13 and 7.7 × 10−9, respectively). The 2p15 variant shows a significantly stronger association with more aggressive, rather than less aggressive, forms of the disease.

Genome-wide association studies (GWAS) have revealed many single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) associated with complex traits. Although these studies frequently fail to identify statistically significant associations, the top association signals from GWAS may be enriched for true associations. We therefore investigated the association of alcohol dependence with 43 SNPs selected from association signals in the first two published GWAS of alcoholism. Our analysis of 808 alcohol-dependent cases and 1,248 controls provided evidence of association of alcohol dependence with SNP rs1614972 in the ADH1C gene (unadjusted p = 0.0017). Because the GWAS study that originally reported association of alcohol dependence with this SNP [1] included only men, we also performed analyses in sex-specific strata. The results suggest that this SNP has a similar effect in both sexes (men: OR (95%CI) = 0.80 (0.66, 0.95); women: OR (95%CI) = 0.83 (0.66, 1.03)). We also observed marginal evidence of association of the rs1614972 minor allele with lower alcohol consumption in the non-alcoholic controls (p = 0.081), and independently in the alcohol-dependent cases (p = 0.046). Despite a number of potential differences between the samples investigated by the prior GWAS and the current study, data presented here provide additional support for the association of SNP rs1614972 in ADH1C with alcohol dependence and extend this finding by demonstrating association with consumption levels in both non-alcoholic and alcohol-dependent populations. Further studies should investigate the association of other polymorphisms in this gene with alcohol dependence and related alcohol-use phenotypes.

The cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator (CFTR) holds an important role in retaining lung function, but its association with lung cancer is unclear. A case-control study was conducted to determine the possible associations of the genetic variants in the CFTR gene with lung cancer risk. Genotypes of a most common deletion ΔF508, one functional SNP, and eight tag SNPs in the CFTR gene were determined in 574 lung cancer patients and 679 controls. A logistic regression model, adjusting for known risk factors, was used to evaluate the association of each variant with lung cancer risk, as confirmation haplotype and sub-haplotype analyses were performed. ΔF508 deletion and genotypes with minor alleles in one tag SNP, rs10487372, and one functional SNP, rs213950, were inversely associated with lung cancer risk. The results of haplotype and sub-haplotype analyses were consistent with single variant analysis, all pointing to deletion ΔF508 being the key variant for significant haplotypes and sub-haplotypes. Individuals with ‘deletion-T’ (ΔF508/rs10487372) haplotype had a 68% reduced risk for lung cancer compared to common haplotype ‘no-deletion-C’ (OR=0.32; 95% CI=0.15–0.68; p=0.01). Genetic variations in the CFTR gene might modulate the risk of lung cancer. This study, for the first time, provides evidence of a protective role of the CFTR deletion carrier in the etiology of lung cancer.

Using the most comprehensive approach to selecting polymorphisms to date, we sought to examine whether time to recurrence in ovarian cancer was associated with common inherited variation in eight genes involved in drug metabolism, multi-drug resistance, or DNA repair, namely ABCB1, CYP2C8, CYP3A4, ERCC1, ERCC2, GSTM1, XPC, and XRCC1. Invasive epithelial ovarian cancer patients (N=445) seen at the Mayo Clinic from 1999 to 2009 with 275 observed recurrences or deaths were analyzed at 94 SNPs in these candidate genes. Cox regression was used to estimate hazard ratios and 95% confidence intervals for each single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) and outcome (defined as time to recurrence or death). Analyses were conducted at the gene level and on case subsets defined by histopathology and chemotherapeutic agent. At ABCB1, minor alleles at several SNPs were associated with outcome, with the most significant being the intronic SNP rs12334183 (HR=0.65, 95% Cl 0.51-0.83; p=0.0005). Overall variation in ABCB1 was predictive of outcome as well (p=0.003). At ERCC2, minor alleles at several SNPs were associated with outcome among women with high-grade serous disease (e.g., rs238417, HR 0.74, 95% Cl 0.59-0.92; p=0.006). No associations with outcome were observed in GSTM1, CYP2C8, CYP3A4, ERCC1, XPC, or XRCC1. In summary, inherited variation in ABCB1 and ERCC2 was associated with outcome in patients with ovarian cancer seen at the Mayo Clinic. As the associated SNPs have not been studied previously in ovarian cancer, these findings suggest novel sites of variation which may, in part, explain the range of treatment responses seen in this disease.