Lack of association of fragile histidine triad (FHIT) polymorphisms with lung cancer in the Korean population

Abstract

The fragile histidine triad (FHIT), which was located on chromosome 3p14.2, was currently considered a promising candidate for a tumor suppressor gene. FHIT performed a crucial function in the tumorigenesis of lung cancer. The inactivation of FHIT via genetic alterations, including the chromosomal deletions and aberrant transcription, are often associated with lung cancer. In this study, the association between FHIT and lung cancer development was evaluated in a study of Korean patients. A total of 299 Korean lung cancer patients and 296 control subjects were recruited into this study. Direct DNA sequencing and TaqMan analysis were employed. Logistic regression analyses were conducted in order to characterize the association between FHIT polymorphisms and lung cancer risk. Via direct sequencing in 24 Korean individuals, 27 sequence variants were identified. Eleven of these polymorphisms were selected for a larger scale genotyping (n = 595). Our finding indicated that the polymorphisms and haplotypes in the FHIT gene are not associated with lung cancer in the Korean population.