liang fang

Matrix Metalloproteinases (MMPs) play an important role in gastric cancer (GC). Accumulated evidence suggests that functional MMP-1 and MMP-7 gene polymorphisms are associated with several tumors. The aim of this study was to investigate two single nucleotide polymorphisms, MMP-1 -1607 1G/2G and MMP-7 -181 A/G, and their potential relationship with GC.We examined 246 GC patients and 252 age-and sex-matched controls from Sichuan province in China. Genotypes were determined using a polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism strategy and DNA sequencing. We also performed a meta-analysis of relevant studies, involving 1084 cases and 1721 controls, to place our findings in a broader context.No significant relationship was observed between the MMP-1 -1607 1G/2G alleles and genotypes and the risk of GC. There were significant differences in the genotypes and allele distributions of the -181 A/G polymorphism of the MMP-7 gene between cases and controls. The -181 A allele carriers had a significantly increased risk of GC compared with -181 G allele carriers (OR=3.051, 95% CI, 1.475-6.310, P=0.002), and the AA genotype of -181 A/G was associated with an increased risk of GC compared with the AG genotype (OR=3.189, 95% CI, 1.523-6.676, P=0.001).A meta-analysis of six studies also showed a significant risk of GC associated with MMP-7 polymorphism.

Several asthma susceptibility loci, including a region containing the vitamin D receptor (VDR) gene located at chromosome 12q, have been identified using genome-wide screens. Our aim is to investigate the association between single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in VDR gene and asthma. One hundred one asthma patients and 206 healthy controls were enrolled in this study. Genotypes were determined using a polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism (PCR-RFLP) strategy and DNA sequencing. The results showed that there was no significant differences in the genotype and allele frequencies of Fok I and Bsm I polymorphisms between asthma patients and the controls in the Chinese Hans (For Fok I: OR = 1.15, 95% CI: 0.82-1.60; for Bsm I: OR = 1.44, 95% CI: 0.87-2.38).It is suggested that Fok I and Bsm I polymorphisms of VDR gene may not significantly contribute to the development of asthma in the Chinese Hans.