Common variants in IL-1RN, IL-1β and TNF-α and the risk of ovarian cancer: a case control study

• Published in: Central-European journal of immunology Vol. 42; no. 2; pp. 150 - 155
• Main Authors: Ahmed, Amira Ben, Zidi, Sabrina, Sghaier, Ikram, Ghazouani, Ezzeddine, Mezlini, Amel, Almawi, Wassim, Loueslati, Besma Yacoubi
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Poland Termedia Publishing House 01.01.2017; Polish Society of Experimental and Clinical Immunology
• Subjects: Alleles; Clinical Immunology; gene variants; Genotype & phenotype; Genotyping; Health risk assessment; Heterozygotes; Inflammation; Interleukin 1; Interleukin 1 receptors; Ovarian cancer; Polymerase chain reaction; Tumor necrosis factor; interleukin-1; tumor necrosis factor; ovarian cancer; gene variants
• DOI: 10.5114/ceji.2017.69356
• ISSN: 1426-3912

Several studies implicated altered inflammatory response in the susceptibility to ovarian cancer, and polymorphisms in inflammatory cytokines were shown to play an important role in the development of malignancies, including ovarian cancer (OC). Here we investigated the relationship between polymorphisms in IL-1 (-511C>T), IL-1RN VNTR, TNF- (-308G>A), and TNF RII (-322 VNTR) and OC risk in Tunisian women. Study subjects comprised 62 OC patients and 126 healthy women. Genotyping was done from genomic DNA obtained from blood simple by PCR. Positive association between IL-1RN (-VNTR) A1 allele (p = 0.0069; OR = 2.04; 95% CI:1.17-3.58) and OC risk, while negative association was seen with the A3 allele (P = 0.0034; OR = 0.09; 95% CI: 0.00-0.64), suggesting a protective role by the A3 allele. For IL-1 (-511C>T), homozygous C/C genotype was associated with significantly increased risk of OC (p = 0.0002; OR = 4.14; 95% CI: 1.77-9.76), while heterozygote C/T genotype was linked with reduced risk of OC (p = 0.0033; OR = 0.40; 95% CI: 0.20-0.78). Furthermore, TNF- -308A allele was significantly associated with heightened risk of OC (p = 0.016; OR = 1.70; 95% CI: 1.08-2.69), and homozygote G/G genotype was associated with decreased risk of OC (p = 0.0018; OR = 0.25; 95% CI: 0.09-0.66). In contrast, TNFRII (-322 VNTR) polymorphism was not associated with altered OC risk in the studied group. The significant association between IL-1RN VNTR, IL1- (-511), TNF- (-308) and OC susceptibility in Tunisian women confirms a role for altered inflammatory response in ovarian cancer pathogenesis.