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Microsomal epoxide hydrolase polymorphism as a risk factor for ovarian cancer
Author(s) -
Lancaster Johnathan M.,
Brownlee Heather A.,
Bell Douglas A.,
Futreal P. Andrew,
Marks Jeffrey R.,
Berchuck Andrew,
Wiseman Roger W.,
Taylor Jack A.
Publication year - 1996
Publication title -
molecular carcinogenesis
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.254
H-Index - 97
eISSN - 1098-2744
pISSN - 0899-1987
DOI - 10.1002/(sici)1098-2744(199611)17:3<160::aid-mc8>3.0.co;2-j
Subject(s) - biology , microsomal epoxide hydrolase , epoxide hydrolase , ovarian cancer , microsome , genetics , polymorphism (computer science) , cancer research , cancer , medicine , enzyme , biochemistry , gene , allele
Microsomal epoxide hydrolase (EPHX) is one of many enzymes involved in the metabolism of endogenous and exogenous toxicants. Polymorphic forms of the human EPHX gene have been described that vary in enzymatic activity, and one, Tyr113His, has been associated with hepatocellular carcinoma susceptibility. We demonstrated that EPHX was highly expressed in the human ovary, and investigated whether specific EPHX genotypes are associated with ovarian cancer susceptibility. Seventy‐three Caucasian patients with ovarian cancer and 75 Caucasian‐female controls without cancer were genotyped for the Tyr113His polymorphism by a polymerase chain reaction‐restriction fragment length polymorphism assay. The frequency of the homozygous high‐activity genotype was 41% in the control population and 64% in the ovarian cancer patients. The odds ratio for ovarian cancer with this genotype was 2.6 (95% confidence interval 1.3, 5.0; P < 0.01). The increased ovarian cancer risk associated with the high‐activity genotype could reflect differences in metabolic activation of endogenous or exogenous carcinogens. © 1996 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.