Polymorphism in heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1) promoter and alcohol are related to the risk of esophageal squamous cell carcinoma on Chinese males

Abstract

Chronic alcohol drinking is astrong risk factor for esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC). In this study, the correlation between the HO-1 gene promoter polymorphism and alcohol, along with the risk of ESCC on Chinese males, was analyzed.The case-control study was performed in 143 ESCC patients and 264 cancer-free controls. All subjects were males. Allelotypic frequencies of (GT)n repeat were examed by PCR-based genotyping and DNA sequencing. The frequencies of L-allele and L-allele carriers (S/L and L/L genotypes) was significantly higher in ESCC patients than in controls (p =0.001 and 0.004), The adjusted ORs for ESCC with S/L and L/L genotypes vs S/S genotype was 2.212 (95% CI 1.297-3.775, p= 0.004). The adjusted ORs for light, moderate and heavy drinking was 1.467, 5.215 and 9.525 respectively among L-allele carriers (S/L and L/L genotypes )and 1.389, 2.096 and 3.039 respectively for the S/S genotype. Length of a(GT)n repeat in the HO-1 gene promoter may be associated with the development of ESCC in Chinese male drinkers. Reducing alcohol intake might be most protective among L-allele carriers of this polymorphism.

Keywords: esophageal squamous cell carcinoma; heme oxygenase-1 promoter polymorphism; alcohol drinking.