Vitamin D receptor genotypes, ultraviolet radiation exposure, and risk of non-Hodgkin lymphoma

Am J Epidemiol. 2011 Jan 1;173(1):48-54. doi: 10.1093/aje/kwq340. Epub 2010 Nov 12.

Abstract

Ultraviolet radiation (UVR) exposure may influence risk of non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL) through vitamin D, with antineoplastic effects mediated through the vitamin D receptor (VDR). To explore the role of vitamin D in NHL risk and the potential interaction with UVR, the authors genotyped 10 VDR polymorphisms in 2,448 NHL patients and 1,981 controls from Denmark and Sweden who were recruited in 1999-2002. Odds ratios and 95% confidence intervals were computed with logistic regression. P values were 2-sided. Most VDR variants (e.g., rs731236/TaqI, rs15444410/BsmI) were not associated with overall risk of NHL, but there was some evidence of a positive association between rs4760655 and follicular lymphoma risk (nominal P(trend) = 0.004, corrected P(trend) = 0.24). There was no support for an effect of interaction between VDR variants and UVR exposure on risk of overall NHL or B-cell lymphoma subtypes. However, there was some evidence that rs731236 altered associations between UVR and T-cell NHL risk; while increasing UVR frequency lowered T-cell NHL risk among rs731236 TT carriers, an elevated risk was observed among rs731236 CC carriers (nominal P(interaction) ≤ 0.008, corrected P(interaction) ≥ 0.12). VDR does not appear to harbor major determinants of NHL risk, except perhaps for follicular lymphoma. Possible heterogeneity in effects of UVR exposure on T-cell lymphoma risk by VDR rs731236 genotype merits further investigation.

Publication types

  • Comparative Study
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Adolescent
  • Adult
  • Aged
  • DNA / analysis*
  • Denmark / epidemiology
  • Dose-Response Relationship, Radiation
  • Female
  • Genotype
  • Humans
  • Incidence
  • Lymphoma, Non-Hodgkin / epidemiology*
  • Lymphoma, Non-Hodgkin / etiology
  • Lymphoma, Non-Hodgkin / metabolism
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Receptors, Calcitriol / genetics*
  • Receptors, Calcitriol / metabolism
  • Receptors, Calcitriol / radiation effects
  • Retrospective Studies
  • Risk Factors
  • Sweden / epidemiology
  • Ultraviolet Rays / adverse effects*
  • Young Adult

Substances

  • Receptors, Calcitriol
  • DNA