Abstract
Nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) is multifactorial, and the genetic background may be a crucial etiologic factor. Interleukinโ12 (ILโ12) is a multifunctional cytokine that induces interferon (IFN)โgamma secretion and plays an important role in antitumor immunity. Interleukinโ27 (ILโ27) is a novel ILโ12 family member, the present studies demonstrate that ILโ27 mediates potent antitumor activity. Variations in the DNA sequence in the ILโ12 and ILโ27 gene may lead to altered cytokines production and/or activity, and so this can modulate an individual's susceptibility to NPC. To test this hypothesis, we investigated the relationship of ILโ12 and ILโ27 gene polymorphisms and NPC in a Chinese population. We analyzed single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) of ILโ12 gene 16974 A/C and ILโ27 gene โ964 A/G, 2905 T/G, 4730 T/C in 302 patients with NPC and 310 ageโ and sexโmatched controls, using polymerase chain reactionโrestriction fragment length polymorphism (PCRโRFLP) and DNA sequencing methods. There were significant differences in the genotype and allele distribution of 16974 A/C polymorphism of the ILโ12 gene among cases and controls. The 16974 CC and AC genotypes were associated with a significantly increased risk of NPC as compared with the 16974 AA genotypes (ORโ=โ2.225, 95% CI 1.395โ3.549, Pโ=โ0.001 and ORโ=โ1.834, 95% CI 1.239โ2.716, Pโ=โ0.002, respectively). The 16974 C allele was associated with a significantly increased risk of NPC as compared with the 16974 A allele (ORโ=โ1.334, 95% CI 1.065โ1.670, Pโ=โ0.012). However, genotype and allele frequencies of the ILโ27 gene โ964 A/G, 2905 T/G, 4730 T/C polymorphisms in NPC patients were not significantly different than that in healthy controls (Pโ>โ0.05). Our data suggest that ILโ12 gene may play a role in the development of NPC. ยฉ 2009 WileyโLiss, Inc.