Impact of methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase C677T polymorphism on the risk of gastric cancer and its interaction with Helicobacter pylori infection.

Samaneh Saberi (1) , Kazem Zendehdel (2) , Sahar Jahangiri (1) , Yeganeh Talebkhan (1) , Afshin Abdirad (3) , Nazanin Mohajerani (1) , Maryam Bababeik (1) , Najmeh Karami (1) , Maryam Esmaili (1) , Akbar Oghalaie (1) , Parisa Hassanpour (1) , Neda Amini (2) , Mohammad Ali Mohagheghi (2) , Mahmoud Eshagh Hossieni (4) , Marjan Mohammadi (1)

1 Biotechnology Research Center
2 Cancer Research Center, Cancer Institute of Iran
3 Dept. of Pathology, Cancer Institute of Iran
4 Endoscopy Unit, Amiralam Hospital, Medical Sciences

BACKGROUND: Attempts for early detection of gastric cancer have recently focused on host's genetic susceptibility factors and gene-environment interactions. We have, herein, studied the association of MTHFR C677T single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) and its interaction with Helicobacter pylori infection, smoking, age and gender on the risk of gastric cancer among an Iranian population. METHODS: Gastric cancer patients (n = 450) and cancer-free controls (n = 780) were studied for serum H. pylori-specific IgG antibodies by ELISA and MTHFR C677T polymorphism (SNP) by PCR-RFLP. Demographic and life style data were collected through patient interviews. Unconditional logistic regression model estimated odds ratio (OR) and the corresponding 95% confidence intervals (CI). RESULTS: The interactions of MTHFR genotype with H. pylori infection (P = 0.03), age (P = 0.049) and gender (P = 0.007) were statistically significant. Accordingly, MTHFR C677T carriers who were also positive for H. pylori infection exhibited 80% (OR = 1.8, 95% CI = 1.0-2.9) significant excess risk of non-cardia gastric cancer. Furthermore, subjects over the age of 50 or female subjects carrying MTHFR C677T SNP showed 40 (OR = 1.4, 95% CI = 1.0-2.0) and 100 (OR = 2.0, 95% CI = 1.2-3.2) percent increased risk of gastric cancer, respectively. CONCLUSION: MTHFR C677T SNP seems to increase the risk of gastric cancer and the effect is significantly inflated by interactions with H. pylori infection, age and gender.

Keywords: Smoking; Gender identity; Age group; Methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase; Helicobacter pylori

Domains: Biotechnology; Biotechnology

Samaneh Saberi, Kazem Zendehdel, Sahar Jahangiri, Yeganeh Talebkhan, Afshin Abdirad, et al.. Impact of methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase C677T polymorphism on the risk of gastric cancer and its interaction with Helicobacter pylori infection.. Iranian Biomedical Journal, 2012, 16 (4), pp.179-84. ⟨10.6091/ibj.1102.2012⟩. ⟨pasteur-00783934⟩