Study of Regulatory Promoter Polymorphism (-938 C>A) of bcl2 Gene in Patients with Gastric Cancer

Background and Gastric cancer is the fourth most common cancer and the second leading cause of cancer death worldwide. North of Iran is a high risk area for gastric cancer. Bcl2 family is the most important regulator of apoptosis and -938C>A single nucleotide polymorphism of bcl2 gene promoter has been demonstrated to influence gastric cancer susceptibility. In this research we studied the effect of -938C>A genotype on gastric cancer.
This analysis was performed in 87 patients with gastric cancer who underwent surgery in Mazandaran and Golestan province along with 104 healthy individuals as controls. DNA extracted from peripheral blood samples was applied in PCR-SSCP (Polymerase chain reaction-single strand conformation polymorphism) analysis to determine -938C>A genotype. The association of the -938C>A genotype and gastric cancer risk as well as demographic and clinicopathological characteristics were analyzed by logistic regression method.
Frequency of AA, CC and AC genotypes in cases were 13.79, 16.09 and 70.12% and 15.38, 23.08, and 61.54% in control group, respectively. Statistical analysis indicated that the AC genotype was significantly (P=0.0009) associated with a decreased risk for gastric cancer by 0.2 fold (OR=0.276) compared with the combined genotype of AA. No significant association was found between -938C>A genotype with demographic and clinicopathological characteristics.
The study showed that the presence of AC genotype may decrease the risk of gastric cancer. So, investigating the -938 C>A single nucleotide polymorphism of bcl2 gene promoter could be an appropriate molecular marker that could be used to determine individual sensitivity to gastric cancer and also for designing cancer prevention programs.