[Genetic polymorphisms of interferon-gamma and interleukin-8 in patients with nasopharyngeal carcinoma].

OBJECTIVE

To investigate the distribution of genotype and allele frequencies of the genetic polymorphisms of IFN-gamma and IL-8 in patients with nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) and analyze the relationship between the genetic polymorphisms of IFN-gamma and IL-8 and NPC.

METHODS

A total of 105 NPC patients and 109 healthy people were recruited in this study. The polymorphism of IL-8-251 locus was determined by polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism (PCR-RFLP). The IFN-gamma CA-repeat polymorphism was determined by polymerase chain reaction and polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis with silver staining. The relationship between the polymorphisms of the two loci and NPC was analyzed.

RESULTS

There was no statistically significant difference in IL-8-251(A/T) genotype and allele frequencies between the NPC patients and the healthy people (P < 0.05). The frequency of IFN-gamma 13 times CA repeats in the NPC patients was significantly lower than that of the healthy people (chi2 = 5.878, P = 0.015). A significant difference in the distribution of the genotype of (CA)13+ / (CA)13+, (CA)13+ / (CA)13- and (CA)13- / (CA)13- between the NPC patients and the healthy people was also found (chi2 = 15.181, P = 0.001).

CONCLUSION

The IFN-gamma 13 times CA-repeat polymorphism is associated with the onset of NPC. But no association between the polymorphism of IL-8-251 (A/T) locus and NPC is evident. The IFN-gamma CA-repeat polymorphism might play an important role in determining the susceptibility to nasopharyngeal carcinoma.