Objective: To investigate the association between the single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) of interferon regulatory factor 3 (IRF-3) gene and the susceptibility of esophageal cancer in Anyang area, Henan Province.
Methods: The genomic DNAs of 152 esophageal cancer patients and 191 health controls were extracted from the peripheral blood leukocytes. Three fragments covering codons 96, 194, 377, and 427 of the IRF-3 gene were amplified by polymerase chain reaction (PCR). The SNPs were revealed by DNA sequencing and the genotype of every sample was determined accordingly. The frequency distribution of the SNPs was analyzed by chi(2) test.
Results: There were no IRF-3 gene SNPs at codons 96, 194, or 377 in Anyang participants. There was significant difference in the SNPs at codon 427 between the healthy controls and esophageal cancer patients in Anyang area OR=2.38 (95%CI=1.15-4.95,P<0.05).
Conclusion: The SNPs at codon 427 of the IRF-3 gene may relate to the susceptibility of esophageal cancer. The risk of esophageal cancer in participants with C allele is 2.38-fold compared to those with G allele.