• Toxicological Research
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• v.19 no.2
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• pp.115-121
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• 2003

In view of the importance of muscle-specific creatine kinase (CKMM) gene as a genetic factor for athletic performance, we investigate the relationship between elite athletic performance and two restriction fragment length polymorphisms (Ncol and Taql RFLPs) in the CKMM gene. Genomic DNA was extracted from white blood cells of 98 unrelated male Korean elite athletes and 04 sedentary controls, respectively. Two genetic polymorphisms in the CKMM gene were detected by the polymerase chain reaction and the digestion with restriction endonucleases, Ncol and Taql, respectively. There were no significant associations between two genetic polymorphisms in the CKMM gene and elite athletic performance or clinical parameters in our subjects. Therefore, these findings suggest that two genetic polymorphisms in the CKMM gene may not be useful as genetic markers to predict the athletic performance in male Koreans.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.17 no.2
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• pp.479-483
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• 2016

Breast cancer is the first or second leading cancer among females across the globe. A large number of studies have been conducted to assess any relationship between vitamin D receptor (VDR) gene polymorphisms and breast cancer development. Epidemiological studies have indicated that ethnic traits exhibited by a group of people with a common ancestry and culture, alter the link between VDR gene and breast cancer. It has been hypothesized that VDR polymorphisms have the capacity to impact both on incidence of breast cancer occurrence and to predict its outcome. A survey was here conducted to assess and compare the impact of vitamin D receptor gene polymorphisms Fok1, Bsm1, Taq1, Apa1 and poly (A) on development of breast cancer. Information was obtained from electronic databases including PubMed and Google Scholar for articles published during the period from 1996 to 2015. This search was achieved by using the terms "genetics", "breast cancer", "VDR gene", "polymorphisms". However, due to inconsistent results, no conclusive statements could be presented about the significance of the VDR genotype as far as the development of breast carcinoma is concerned.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.15 no.21
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• pp.9093-9099
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• 2014

A growing body of evidence suggests that the peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-gamma ($PPAR{\gamma}$) gene may harbor targets for the chemoprevention of breast cancer. However, it is unclear whether polymorphisms in the $PPAR{\gamma}$ gene are associated with the susceptibility of breast cancer. We performed a candidate gene association study between $PPAR{\gamma}$ polymorphisms and breast cancer and a meta-analysis on the association of breast cancer with selected $PPAR{\gamma}$ variants. Six single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in the $PPAR{\gamma}$ gene were analyzed among 456 breast cancer patients and 461 controls from the National Cancer Center in Korea. Association between the polymorphisms and breast cancer risk were assessed using the Cochrane-Armitage test for trend and a multivariate logistic regression model. Two SNPs, rs3856806 and rs1801282, had been previously analyzed, thus enabling us to perform pooled analyses on their associations with breast cancer susceptibility. Our findings from the candidate gene association study showed no association between the $PPAR{\gamma}$ gene polymorphisms and breast cancer risk. A meta-analysis combining existing studies and our current study also refuted an association of the $PPAR{\gamma}$ gene with breast cancer. Our findings suggest that the $PPAR{\gamma}$ gene may not harbor variants that alter breast cancer susceptibility, although a moderate sample size might have precluded a decisive conclusion.

• Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health
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• v.42 no.6
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• pp.360-370
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• 2009

Genetic factors clearly play a role in carcinogenesis, but migrant studies provide unequivocal evidence that environmental factors are critical in defining cancer risk. Therefore, one may expect that the lower availability of substrate for biochemical reactions leads to more genetic changes in enzyme function; for example, most studies have indicated the variant MTHFR genotype 677TT is related to biomarkers, such as homocysteine concentrations or global DNA methylation particularly in a low folate diet. The modification of a phenotype related to a genotype, particularly by dietary habits, could support the notion that some of inconsistencies in findings from molecular epidemiologic studies could be due to differences in the populations studied and unaccounted underlying characteristics mediating the relationship between genetic polymorphisms and the actual phenotypes. Given the evidence that diet can modify cancer risk, gene-diet interactions in cancer etiology would be anticipated. However, much of the evidence in this area comes from observational epidemiology, which limits the causal inference. Thus, the investigation of these interactions is essential to gain a full understanding of the impact of genetic variation on health outcomes. This report reviews current approaches to gene-diet interactions in epidemiological studies. Characteristics of gene and dietary factors are divided into four categories: one carbon metabolism-related gene polymorphisms and dietary factors including folate, vitamin B group and methionines; oxidative stress-related gene polymorphisms and antioxidant nutrients including vegetable and fruit intake; carcinogen-metabolizing gene polymorphisms and meat intake including heterocyclic amins and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon; and other gene-diet interactive effect on cancer.

• Korean Journal of Biological Psychiatry
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• v.23 no.4
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• pp.166-172
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• 2016

Objectives We investigated whether the catechol-O-methyltransferase (COMT) and serotonin related gene polymorphisms may be associated with agoraphobia in patients with panic disorder in Korea. Methods The COMT gene (rs4680), 5-hydroxytryptamine (serotonin) transporter linked polymorphic region (5-HTTLPR) gene (rs25531), serotonin receptor 1A (HTR1A) gene (rs6295) genotypes were analyzed in 406 patients with panic disorder and age-sex matched 206 healthy controls. Patients with panic disorder were dichotomized by the presence of agoraphobia. The following instruments were applied : the Beck Depression Inventory, the Beck Anxiety Inventory, the Panic Disorder Severity Scale. Results There was a significant difference in the distribution of 5-HTTLPR genotype between panic patients with agoraphobia and without agoraphobia (p = 0.024). That is, the panic patients with agoraphobia had a significant excess of the less active 5-HTTLPR allele (S allele). (p = 0.039) Also, we replicated previous western reports which indicated a significant difference in the distribution of COMT genotype between the patients with panic disorder and the healthy controls (p = 0.040). However, no significant associations of agora-phobia or panic disorder with HTR1A gene polymorphisms were found. Conclusions This result supports that the COMT polymorphisms may be associated with panic disorder and suggests that the 5-HTTLPR polymorphisms may play a role in the pathogenesis of agoraphobia in the Korean patients with panic disorder.

• Journal of Animal Science and Technology
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• v.54 no.6
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• pp.411-418
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• 2012

KIT gene is the major causative gene for coat color variation in diverse animal species. This gene regulates melanocyte migration from the neural crest to target tissues and the mutation of this gene can affect dominant white phenotypes in animals. Because this gene has a major influence for the coat color variation, single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in 14 Korean cattle (Hanwoo) and 5 Holstein individuals were investigated. The Hanwoo DNA samples included three different colored (5 Black, 5 Yellow and 4 Stripe) animals. Total 126 polymorphisms have been identified and 23 of them are located in the exon region. Also, 5 bp (TTCTC) and 3 bp (TCT) intronic indels in intron 3 and intron 5, respectively, were identified. Out of 23 exonic polymorphisms, 15 SNPs are the missense mutations and the rest of the SNPs are silence mutations. The neighbor-joining phylogenetic tree was constructed for the different colored animals using the obtained KIT gene sequences. Holstein breed showed a clear breed-specific cluster in the phylogenetic tree which is differed from Hanwoo. Also, three colored Hanwoo animals were not discriminated among the breeds. The KIT gene polymorphisms identified in this study will possibly give some solutions for the color variations in cattle with further verifications.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.14 no.5
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• pp.3187-3190
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• 2013

Background: Epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) is a transmembrane receptor which contributes to many processes involved in cell survival, proliferation and inhibits apoptosis, that may lead to cancer development. Gastric cancer is one of the most common diseases of digestive system that has low 5-year-survival. The aim of this research was to determine the significance of EGFR tyrosine kinase domain gene polymorphisms in gastric cancer in Iran. Materials and Methods: In the present study, 83 patients with gastric cancer and 40 normal subjects were investigated for EGFR gene polymorphisms in exons 18-21 by PCR-SSCP. Then, DNA sequencing was conducted for different mobility shift bands. Finally the data were statistically analyzed using the chi-2 test and the SPSSver.16 program. Results: Exon 18 of EGFR gene showed three different bands in SSCP pattern and DNA sequencing displayed one mutation. SSCP pattern of Exons 19 and 21 did not show different migration bands. Exon 20 of EGFR gene revealed multiple migrate bands in SSCP pattern. DNA sequencing displayed 2 mutations in this exon: one mutation was caused amino acid change and another mutation was silent. Conclusion: It may be that EGFR tyrosine kinase gene polymorphisms differ between populations and screening could be useful in gastric cancer patients who might benefit from tyrosine kinase inhibitor therapy.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.15 no.22
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• pp.10009-10013
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• 2014

Background: Vitamin D receptor (VDR) gene has been a subject of extensive pharmacogenetic research recently. Association studies between different types of cancers including prostate cancer (PCa) and VDR gene polymorphism have also been conducted. The objective of this study was to find possible associations between PCa and VDR gene polymorphisms in the Pakistani population. Materials and Methods: A total of 162 subjects, including prostate cancer patients and controls, were genotyped for Apa I, Taq I and Fok I polymorphisms in the VDR gene using allele specific PCR, PCR-RFLP and direct DNA sequencing. Allelic frequencies were tested for Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium and associations between the genetic markers and PCa were calculated using logistic regression. Results: Apa I CC genotype was found to have strongest association with PCa risk, and "A" genotype was found to have protective effect. Fok I and Taq I did not have appreciable levels of association with PCa, although Taq I "TC" heterozygotes seemed to have some protective effect. Similarly the "C" allele of Fok I also seemed to have protective effect. Conclusions: To our knowledge, this is the first report showing association between VDR gene polymorphisms and PCa in Pakistan. Our findings may be somewhat skewed because of small sample size and tendency of consanguineous marriages in Pakistani society; nevertheless, it shows the trend of association and protective effects of certain VDR gene polymorphisms against PCa.

• Korean Journal of Biological Psychiatry
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• v.11 no.2
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• pp.110-116
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• 2004

Objectives:Recently, polymorphisms of several serotonin genes have been suggested to be associated with suicide, but the results are still unclear. We examined whether the T102C polymorphisms of the serotonin 2A receptor gene and the G861C polymorphisms of the serotonin 1B receptor gene were associated with suicidal behavior using drug intoxication. Methods:The subjects were 52 patients who visited emergency room with suicidal behaviors. Fifty controls were selected from healthy volunteers matched for sex and age to the suicide subjects. The polymorphisms were analyzed with TaqMan$^{(R)}$ assay using primers based on previous studies. Results:The T102C polymorphism of the serotonin 2A receptor gene showed no significant difference between the suicidal attempters and controls in both genotype and allele frequency analyses(p=0.179 and p=0.422, respectively). There was no statistically significant difference between the suicidal attempters and the controls in the G861C polymorphism of the serotonin 1B receptor gene and any significant effect of the genotype distributions or the allele frequencies was not observed(p=0.092 and p=0.987, respectively). Conclusion:These findings suggest that the T102C polymorphism in serotonin 2A receptor gene and the G861C polymorphism in serotonin 1B receptor gene are not related to the susceptibility to suicide attempts using drugs. To clarify the genetic influences of the serotonergic system on suicidal behavior, the polymorphisms of other candidate genes in the serotonergic system should be studied with larger numbers of subjects.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.13 no.9
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• pp.4627-4630
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• 2012

Purpose: Methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase (MTHFR) gene polymorphisms have been reported to be associated with pancreatic cancer, but the published studies have yielded inconsistent results. This study assessed the relationship between MTHFR gene polymorphisms and the risk for pancreatic cancer using a meta-analysis approach. Methods:A search of Google scholar, PubMed, Cochrane Library and CNKI databases before April 2012 was performed, and then associations of the MTHFR polymorphisms with pancreatic cancer risk were summarized. The association was assessed by odds ratios (ORs) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs). Publication bias was also calculated. Results: Four relative studies on MTHFR gene polymorphisms (C667T and A1298C) were included in this meta-analysis. Overall, C667T (TT vs. CC:OR=1.61,95%CI=0.78-3.34; TT vs. CT: OR=1.41,95%CI=0.88-2.25; Dominant model:OR=0.68,95%CI=0.40-1.17; Recessive model: OR=0.82,95%CI=0.52-1.30) and A1298C (CC vs. AA:OR=1.01,95%CI=0.47-2.17; CC vs. AC: OR=0.99,95%CI=0.46-2.14; Dominant model:OR=1.01, 95%CI=0.47-2.20; Recessive model: OR=1.01,95%CI=0.80-1.26) did not increase pancreatic cancer risk. Conclusions: This meta-analysis indicated that MTHFR polymorphisms (C667T and A1298C) are not associated with pancreatic cancer risk.