Ethnic distribution of estrogen receptor-alpha polymorphism is associated with a higher prevalence of uterine leiomyomas in black Americans

Abstract

Objective: To investigate whether polymorphisms in the estrogen receptor alpha (ERalpha) gene are associated with an increased risk of uterine leiomyomas (ULMs).

Design: Genomic DNA was isolated from normal myometrium samples collected at the time of the hysterectomy.

Setting: Volunteers in an academic research environment.

Patient(s): One hundred ninety-eight women with surgically confirmed ULMs and 229 matched controls with nonfibroid uteri.

Intervention(s): Hysterectomy samples were collected from volunteers.

Main outcome measure(s): The two PvuII and XbaI intronic polymorphisms in the ERalpha gene using polymerase chain reaction and restriction fragment length polymorphism.

Result(s): The ERalpha PP genotype was associated with a significantly increased risk of ULM in black and white women, but not in Hispanic women. Women with the ERalpha PP genotype were 6.42 times (confidence limits 2.04-20.16) more likely to have ULMs than other genotypes. The ERalpha PP genotype was also significantly associated with larger tumor burden (>400 g). The overall prevalence of the PP genotype was significantly higher in black women (35%) than white (13%) or Hispanic (16%) women. Myometrial cell lines expressing the PP genotype exhibited enhanced proliferative response to estrogen in vitro compared with their pp counterparts.

Conclusion(s): The ERalpha PP genotype is a genetic risk factor for ULM development among surgically treated women. The higher prevalence of this genotype in blacks might explain the increased occurrence of this tumor among black women.