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VEGF gene polymorphisms and susceptibility to colorectal cancer disease in Italian population

International Journal of Colorectal Disease volume 24, pages 165–170 (2009)Cite this article

Abstract

Background

The vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) is an endothelial cell-specific mitogen involved in the process of angiogenesis, a crucial phase in tumor growth and metastasis. We carried out a case–control study to evaluate whether polymorphisms of VEGF gene modulate the risk of developing colorectal cancer disease (CCD).

Materials and methods

We evaluated VEGF −2578A/C, −460T/C, and +405C/G genotypes obtained from a series of 302 CCD patients and 115 controls from the Italian population using polymerase chain reaction restriction fragment length polymorphism assay.

Results

Strong linkage disequilibrium (LD) was detected between −2578A/C and −460T/C (D′ = 0.97; CI = 0.93–1) and between −2578A/C and +405C/G (D′ = 0.97; CI = 0.98–1) in the case group. Complete LD was detected between −2578A/C and +405C/G and between −460T/C and +405C/G (D′ = 1; CI = 0.84–1; CI = 0.82–1, respectively) in the control group. A reduced risk for the disease was associated with −2578C/A and −2578C/C (odds ratio (OR) = 0.34, CI = 0.162–0.676 and OR = 0.38, CI = 0.181–0.775, respectively). A direct association was found for carriers of the VEGF −460C/C polymorphism (OR = 3.55; CI = 1.659–8.469). We identified a protective haplotype −2578A, −460T, and +405G (OR = 0.04; CI = 0.009–0.19) and two different high-risk haplotypes −2578A, −460C, and +405G (OR = 1.90; CI = 1.31–2.27) and −2578C, −460C, and +405C (OR = 9.62; CI = 1.3–70.87).

Conclusions

The present study suggests that the VEGF gene polymorphisms may play a role in the development of colorectal cancer.

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Acknowledgments

We are grateful to Clementina Lufrano and Elizabeth Foote for their help in editing the manuscript. This work was supported by Consorzio Interuniversitario per le Biotechnologie and FanoAteneo.

Conflicts of interest statement

The authors have declared no conflicts of interest.

Author information

Affiliations

  1. Department of Biomolecular Sciences, University of Urbino, Via Saffi, 2-61029, Urbino, Italy

    Paolo Maltese, Emanuele Canestrari, Annamaria Ruzzo & Mauro Magnani

  2. Medical Oncology, Hospital of Pesaro, Pesaro, Italy

    Francesco Graziano

  3. Medical Oncology, Hospital of Livorno, Livorno, Italy

    Alfredo Falcone & Fotios Loupakis

  4. Medical Oncology, Campus Biomedico, Rome, Italy

    Giuseppe Tonini & Daniele Santini

Authors
  1. Paolo Maltese
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  2. Emanuele Canestrari
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  3. Annamaria Ruzzo
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  4. Francesco Graziano
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  5. Alfredo Falcone
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  6. Fotios Loupakis
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  7. Giuseppe Tonini
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  8. Daniele Santini
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  9. Mauro Magnani
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Paolo Maltese.

Additional information

Paolo Maltese and Emanuele Canestrari contributed equally to the study.

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Maltese, P., Canestrari, E., Ruzzo, A. et al. VEGF gene polymorphisms and susceptibility to colorectal cancer disease in Italian population. Int J Colorectal Dis 24, 165–170 (2009). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00384-008-0586-x

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Keywords

  • VEGF
  • Polymorphism
  • Colorectal
  • Cancer
  • SNP