Frontiers in Oncology (Feb 2022)

Single-Nucleotide Polymorphisms in LEP and LEPR Associated With Breast Cancer Risk: Results From a Multicenter Case–Control Study in Chinese Females

  • Liang Li,
  • Liang Li,
  • Liang Li,
  • Liang Li,
  • Xingchen Meng,
  • Xingchen Meng,
  • Liyuan Liu,
  • Liyuan Liu,
  • Liyuan Liu,
  • Yujuan Xiang,
  • Yujuan Xiang,
  • Yujuan Xiang,
  • Fei Wang,
  • Fei Wang,
  • Fei Wang,
  • Lixiang Yu,
  • Lixiang Yu,
  • Lixiang Yu,
  • Fei Zhou,
  • Fei Zhou,
  • Fei Zhou,
  • Chao Zheng,
  • Chao Zheng,
  • Chao Zheng,
  • Wenzhong Zhou,
  • Wenzhong Zhou,
  • Wenzhong Zhou,
  • Shude Cui,
  • Fuguo Tian,
  • Zhimin Fan,
  • Cuizhi Geng,
  • Xuchen Cao,
  • Zhenlin Yang,
  • Xiang Wang,
  • Hong Liang,
  • Shu Wang,
  • Hongchuan Jiang,
  • Xuening Duan,
  • Haibo Wang,
  • Guolou Li,
  • Qitang Wang,
  • Jianguo Zhang,
  • Feng Jin,
  • Jinhai Tang,
  • Liang Li,
  • Shiguang Zhu,
  • Wenshu Zuo,
  • Chunmiao Ye,
  • Chunmiao Ye,
  • Gengshen Yin,
  • Gengshen Yin,
  • Zhongbing Ma,
  • Zhongbing Ma,
  • Zhongbing Ma,
  • Shuya Huang,
  • Shuya Huang,
  • Shuya Huang,
  • Zhigang Yu,
  • Zhigang Yu,
  • Zhigang Yu

DOI
https://doi.org/10.3389/fonc.2022.809570
Journal volume & issue
Vol. 12

Abstract

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BackgroundLeptin (LEP) plays a physiological role through its specific receptor (LEPR) and is involved in the occurrence and development of breast cancer. Our current study aimed at determining the influence of single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in the genes coding for LEP and LEPR on breast cancer risk.MethodsIn the present study, 963 breast cancer cases and 953 controls were enrolled. Five SNPs of LEP and two of LEPR were chosen to evaluate the correlation of selected SNPs with breast cancer susceptibility among women in northern and eastern China. Analyses were further stratified by body mass index (BMI), waist–hip rate (WHR), estrogen receptor, and progesterone receptor status. The expression patterns of risk variant-associated genes were detected by expression quantitative trait locus (eQTL) analysis with eQTLGen and The Cancer Genome Atlas database.ResultsThere were significant differences between breast cancer cases and control groups in the menopausal status and family history of breast cancer. Two SNPs (rs1137101 and rs4655555) of the LEPR gene decreased overall breast cancer risk, and other five SNPs showed no significant association with breast cancer risk. rs1137101 (GA vs. GG; adjusted OR = 0.719, 95% CI = 0.578–0.894, p = 0.003) and rs4655555 (TT vs. AA; adjusted OR = 0.574, 95% CI = 0.377–0.873, p = 0.009) significantly decreased breast cancer risk after Bonferroni correction for multiple testing. In subgroup analyses, the GA and GA + AA genotypes of LEPR rs1137101 associated with decreased breast cancer risk in the subgroup of BMI ≤ 24 kg/m2 or WHR ≥ 0.85 after Bonferroni correction. Furthermore, we found that the expressions of rs4655555-associated gene LEPR and leptin receptor overlapping transcript (LEPROT) were upregulated in breast cancer tumor tissues compared with adjacent normal tissues, and a higher expression of LEPR in tumor tissues was correlated with poor prognosis of breast cancer patients using The Cancer Genome Atlas Breast Invasive Carcinoma (TCGA-BRCA) data.ConclusionOur study demonstrated that the polymorphisms rs1137101 and rs4655555 located in the LEPR gene decreased breast cancer risk in Chinese females, which might be a research-worthy bio-diagnostic marker and applied for early prediction and risk assessment of breast cancer.

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