Genetic variation of 3β-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase type II in three racial/ethnic groups: Implications for prostate cancer risk

• Published in: The Prostate 1997-09, Vol.33 (1), p.9-12
• Main Authors: Devgan, Sunita A., Henderson, Brian E., Yu, Mimi C., Shi, Chen-Yang, Pike, Malcolm C., Ross, Ronald K., Reichardt, Juergen K.V.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: 3-Hydroxysteroid Dehydrogenases - genetics; Alleles; androgen metabolism; Asian People - genetics; Biological and medical sciences; Black or African American; Black People - genetics; complex dinucleotide repeat polymorphism; Dinucleotide Repeats - genetics; Genetic Predisposition to Disease; Genetic Variation; Humans; Isoenzymes - genetics; Male; Medical sciences; Nephrology. Urinary tract diseases; PCR; Polymorphism, Genetic - genetics; Prostatic Neoplasms; Racial Groups; racial/ethnic variation of prostate cancer risk; Risk Factors; Tumors of the urinary system; Urinary tract. Prostate gland; White People - genetics
• ISSN: 0270-4137; 1097-0045
• DOI: 10.1002/(SICI)1097-0045(19970915)33:1<9::AID-PROS2>3.0.CO;2-H

BACKGROUND Elevated prostatic dihydrotestosterone (DHT) has been suggested to increase the risk of prostate cancer. The HSD3B2 gene encodes the type II 3β‐hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase: one of two enzymes that initiate the inactivation of DHT. Thus, the HSD3B2 gene is a candidate gene for predisposition to prostate cancer. METHODS We have determined the distribution of a complex dinucleotide repeat in the HSD3B2 gene in high‐risk African‐Americans, intermediate‐risk Euro‐Americans, and low‐risk Asians. Genomic DNA from 312 individuals was amplified by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and analyzed by electrophoresis on denaturing polyacrylamide gels. RESULTS We have found that certain alleles are either unique to or much more common in either African‐Americans, Asians, or Euro‐Americans. Our data also substantially expand the number of alleles reported for the complex dinucleotide repeat polymorphism in the HSD3B2 gene. CONCLUSIONS Our report demonstrates substantial genetic variation in the HSD3B2 gene. We hypothesize that allelic variants of the HSD3B2 gene may play a role in predisposition to prostate cancer, and in explaining the substantial racial/ethnic variation in risk. Prostate 33:9–12, 1997. © 1997 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.