Human cytochrome P450IIE1 gene: DraI polymorphism and susceptibility to cancer.

Human cytochrome P450IIE1 (CYP2E) is involved in the metabolic activation of procarcinogens such as N-nitrosodimethylamine, benzene and ethyl carbamate. We screened DNA from 28 individuals for restriction fragment length polymorphisms (RFLPs) is the human P450IIE1 gene and detected an RFLP for the restriction endonuclease DraI. The distribution of the genotypes of this polymorphisms among lung cancer patients (n = 74) differed from that among controls (n = 73) with statistical significance of p < 0.05. In addition, the distribution among patients with cancers of the digestive system (n = 38) was also different from that among controls. Our findings indicate an association between the DraI polymorphism of the IIE1 gene and susceptibility to cancers of the lung and the digestive system.