Elevated lung cancer risk is associated with deficiencies in cell cycle checkpoints: genotype and phenotype analyses from a case-control study

Int J Cancer. 2010 May 1;126(9):2199-210. doi: 10.1002/ijc.24771.

Abstract

Cell cycle checkpoints play critical roles in the maintenance of genomic integrity and inactivation of checkpoint genes are frequently perturbed in most cancers. In a case-control study of 299 non-small cell lung cancer cases and 550 controls in Baltimore, we investigated the association between gamma-radiation-induced G(2)/M arrest in cultured blood lymphocytes and lung cancer risk, and examined genotype-phenotype correlations between genetic polymorphisms of 20 genes involving in DNA repair and cell cycle control and gamma-radiation-induced G(2)/M arrest. The study was specifically designed to examine race and gender differences in risk factors. Our data indicated that a less efficient DNA damage-induced G(2)/M checkpoint was associated with an increased risk of lung cancer in African American women with an adjusted odds ratio (OR) of 2.63 (95% CI = 1.01-7.26); there were no statistically significant associations for Caucasians, or African American men. When the African American women were categorized into quartiles, a significant reverse trend of decreased G(2)/M checkpoint function and increased lung cancer risk was present, with lowest-vs.-highest quartile OR of 13.72 (95% CI = 2.30-81.92, p(trend) < 0.01). Genotype-phenotype correlation analysis indicated that polymorphisms in ATM, CDC25C, CDKN1A, BRCA2, ERCC6, TP53, and TP53BP1 genes were significantly associated with the gamma-radiation-induced G(2)/M arrest phenotype. This study provides evidence that a less efficient G(2)/M checkpoint is significantly associated with lung cancer risk in African American women. The data also suggested that the function of G(2)/M checkpoint is modulated by genetic polymorphisms in genes involved in DNA repair and cell cycle control.

Publication types

  • Research Support, N.I.H., Intramural

MeSH terms

  • Aged
  • Case-Control Studies
  • Cell Division*
  • DNA Repair
  • Female
  • G2 Phase*
  • Genes, cdc / physiology*
  • Genotype
  • Humans
  • Lung Neoplasms / etiology*
  • Lung Neoplasms / pathology
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Phenotype
  • Polymorphism, Single Nucleotide
  • Risk Factors