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Variation in genes required for normal mitosis and risk of breast cancer

J E Olson1, X Wang, E L Goode

  • 1Mayo Clinic College of Medicine, Rochester, MN, USA. olsonj@mayo.edu

Breast Cancer Research and Treatment
|April 21, 2009
PubMed

Insights

Genetic variations in genes regulating cell division, specifically SART1 and EIF3A, are linked to increased breast cancer risk. These findings suggest a role for mitotic regulators in tumor development.

Area of Science:

  • Genetics
  • Oncology
  • Molecular Biology

Background:

  • Disruptions in normal cell division (mitosis) can lead to aneuploidy and polyploidy, potentially contributing to tumor development.
  • Alterations in mitotic regulators are implicated in cancer progression, including breast cancer.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the association between inherited genetic variations in cell division genes and breast cancer risk.
  • To identify specific genes and single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) associated with altered breast cancer susceptibility.

Main Methods:

  • Genotyping of 205 tagging and candidate functional SNPs in 30 cell division genes.
  • Case-control study involving 798 breast cancer cases and 843 controls from the Mayo Clinic breast cancer study.

Main Results:

  • Significant associations were found between breast cancer risk and variants in EIF3A (rs10787899, rs3824830) and SART1 (rs660118, rs679581, rs754532, rs735942).
  • Gene-level analyses confirmed significant associations for SART1 (P=0.009) and EIF3A (P=0.02).
  • SNPs rs660118 and rs679581 in SART1 were identified as major contributors to the observed association.

Conclusions:

  • Inherited genetic variations in SART1 and EIF3A, crucial for normal mitosis, are associated with altered breast cancer risk.
  • These findings suggest a direct role for SART1 and EIF3A in breast cancer development.

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