Neuronal acetylcholine receptor subunit alpha-9 (CHRNA9) polymorphisms are associated with NSCLC risk in a Chinese population

• Published in: Medical oncology (Northwood, London, England) London, England), 2014-05, Vol.31 (5), p.932-932, Article 932
• Main Authors: Wang, Ying, Zhang, Yongjun, Gu, Cuiping, Bao, Wenlong, Bao, Yejiang
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Adenocarcinoma - epidemiology; Adenocarcinoma - genetics; Adenocarcinoma - pathology; Asian Continental Ancestry Group - genetics; Carcinoma, Non-Small-Cell Lung - epidemiology; Carcinoma, Non-Small-Cell Lung - genetics; Carcinoma, Non-Small-Cell Lung - pathology; Carcinoma, Squamous Cell - epidemiology; Carcinoma, Squamous Cell - genetics; Carcinoma, Squamous Cell - pathology; Case-Control Studies; China - epidemiology; Female; Follow-Up Studies; Genetic Predisposition to Disease; Genotype; Hematology; Humans; Internal Medicine; Lung Neoplasms - epidemiology; Lung Neoplasms - genetics; Lung Neoplasms - pathology; Male; Medicine; Medicine & Public Health; Neoplasm Staging; Oncology; Original Paper; Pathology; Polymorphism, Single Nucleotide - genetics; Prognosis; Receptors, Nicotinic - genetics; Risk Factors; Smoking - adverse effects
• ISSN: 1357-0560; 1559-131X
• DOI: 10.1007/s12032-014-0932-5

Neuronal acetylcholine receptor subunit alpha-9 ( CHRNA9 ) encodes a plasma membrane protein of divalent cation channels and is expressed in keratinocytes. This study aimed to investigate CHRNA9 single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) for association with non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), especially squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) risk, in a Chinese population. This case–control study included 500 NSCLC patients and 500 age-matched healthy controls. CHRNA9 rs56159866, rs6819385, rs55998310, and rs182073550 SNPs were genotyped and associated for NSCLC risk by computing the odds ratios (ORs) and 95 % confidence intervals (CIs) from multivariate unconditional logistic regression analyses with adjustment for age. The frequencies of the CHRNA9 rs6819385 G allele were 16.1, 15.2, and 20.8 % in male NSCLC patients, male SCC patients, and male controls, respectively. The CHRNA 9 rs6819385 A allele was associated with an increased risk of developing NSCLC ( P  = 0.04, OR = 1.37; 95 % CI 1.02–1.83) and SCC ( P  = 0.04, OR = 1.47; 95 % CI 1.01–2.13). The CHRNA9 rs6819385 A/A homozygote was associated with an increased risk of NSCLC and SCC in all patients (OR = 1.38; 95 % CI 1.06–1.79; P  = 0.02, and OR = 1.61; 95 % CI 1.09–2.38; P  = 0.02, respectively) and in male patients (OR = 1.57; 95 % CI 1.11–2.21; P  = 0.01, and OR = 1.70; 95 % CI 1.11–2.61; P  = 0.01, respectively), indicating that the CHRNA9 rs6819385 A/A homozygote had a 1.61-fold and 1.70-fold increased risk of developing lung SCC in all patients (95 % CI 1.09–2.38, P  = 0.02) and in males (95 % CI 1.11–2.61, P  = 0.01), respectively. The CHRNA9 rs6819385 SNP was significantly associated with an increased risk of NSCLC, especially for SCC in male patients in this Chinese population.