Background: Apolipoprotein A1 (ApoA1) is the major apoprotein constituent of high-density lipoprotein that can play important roles in tumor invasion and metastasis. The objective of the present study was to evaluate the association of two genetic variants (-75 G/A and +83 C/T) of APOA1 with predisposition to renal cancer.
Methods: A total of 432 subjects, including 216 pathologically-proven renal cancer cases and 216 age- and gender-matched healthy controls, were recruited into this hospital-based case-control study. Genotyping of the APOA1 was performed by polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism (PCR-RFLP) combined with gel electrophoresis, and then confirmed by direct sequencing.
Results: Patients with renal cancer had a significantly higher frequency of APOA1 -75 AA genotype [odds ratio (OR) = 2.10, 95% confidence interval (CI) = 1.18, 3.75; P = 0.01] and APOA1 -75 A allele (OR =1.40, 95% CI = 1.05, 1.87; P = 0.02) than controls. When stratifying by the distant metastasis status, patients with distant metastasis had a significantly higher frequency of APOA1 -75 AA genotype genotype (OR =2.20, 95% CI = 1.04, 4.68; P = 0.04).
Conclusion: This study is, to our knowledge, the first to examine prospectively an increased risk role of APOA1 -75 AA genotype and APOA1 -75 A allele in renal cancer susceptibility.