Association between polymorphic sites in thymidylate synthase gene and risk of non-Hodgkin lymphoma: a systematic review and pooled analysis

Abstract

Epidemiological studies have evaluated the association between polymorphic sites in the thymidylate synthase (TYMS) gene and non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL) risk, but the results remain controversial. Here we performed a meta-analysis to estimate the relationship between TYMS polymorphisms and the risk of NHL and two of its subtypes from all nine published case–control studies. Our meta-analysis suggested that both 1053C > T and IVS6-68C >T polymorphisms were significantly associated with decreased risks of NHL among Caucasians (for 1053C > T: TT vs. CC, odds ratio [OR] = 0.78, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 0.64–0.95; recessive model, OR = 0.81, 95% CI = 0.67–0.98 and for IVS6 - 68C > T: TT vs. CC, OR = 0.61, 95% CI = 0.40–0.92; recessive model, OR = 0.63, 95% CI = 0.42–0.93), whereas the TSER, 1122A > G and 1494del6 polymorphisms had no influence on the susceptibility to NHL. Further analysis revealed that the T allele of the 1053C > T polymorphism might provide protective effects in Caucasians against the risk of NHL (OR = 0.90, 95% CI = 0.82–0.98) and follicular lymphoma (FL) (OR = 0.81, 95% CI = 0.71–0.93), but not diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL). Additionally, the IVS6 - 68C > T variant homozygote genotype was significantly associated with reduced risks for DLBCL (TT vs. CC: OR = 0.51, 95% CI = 0.28–0.94; recessive model: OR = 0.53, 95% CI = 0.29–0.96), but not FL. However, individuals carrying the T allele of the IVS6 - 68C > T polymorphism were not significantly associated with reduced risks for DLBCL and FL.

Keywords::

• Thymidylate synthase
• polymorphism
• non-Hodgkin lymphoma
• meta-analysis

Acknowledgements

This work was supported by the Nature Science Foundation of Guangdong Province, China (S2011040003050), Science and Technology Planning Project of Guangdong Province, China (2009B060700112) and Foundation for Distinguished Young Talents in Higher Education of Guangdong, China (LYM09045).

Potential conflict of interest

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