Background: GNAS1 encodes the a-subunit of the Gs protein (Gsa), which binds GTP and stimulates adenylyl cyclase. Activating mutations lead to somatotroph, thyroid, adrenal and gonadal adenomas or the McCune-Albright syndrome and recently the T399C polymorphism in GNAS1 has been reported to be associated with malignancies. The purpose of the present case-control study with 349 Japanese prostate cancer patients and 203 urological controls was to determine whether the GNAS1 T393C polymorphism is associated with prostate cancer risk.
Materials and methods: The GNAS1 T393C polymorphism was examined by polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism (PCR-RFLP) analysis. Odds ratios (OR) were adjusted for age using multiple logistic regression analysis with SPSS Medical Pack.
Results: The allele frequencies were compatible with the control population in Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium with 80, 169 and 100 for GNAS1 C/C, C/T and T/T, respectively in the patients with prostate cancer, compared with 42, 94 and 67 in the controls. No association between the GNAS1 polymorphism and prostate cancer risk was apparent. The C/C genotype was more frequent among the prostate cancer patients (22.9%) than the controls (20.7%), although without significance (OR, 1.30; 95% CI, 0.80-2.12; p=0.29).
Conclusion: This pilot study does not support involvement of the GNAS1 polymorphism in prostate cancer risk.