Significant association of XPD codon 312 single nucleotide polymorphism with bladder cancer susceptibility in Taiwan

The DNA repair gene xeroderma pigmentosum group D (XPD), an important caretaker of the overall genome stability, is thought to play a major role in the development of human malignancy. Polymorphic variants of XPD, at codon 312 (rs1799793), 751 (rs13181) and promoter-114 (rs3810366), were chosen to be studied for their association with bladder cancer susceptibility in a central Taiwanese population.

In this hospital-based case-control study, bladder cancer patients (308) and age- and gender-matched healthy controls (308) were recruited and their genotypes were analyzed by a polymerase chain reaction-based restriction fragment length polymorphism (PCR-RFLP) method.

A significant difference in the frequency of the XPD codon 312 genotype, but not the XPD codon 751 or promoter-114 genotypes, was found between the bladder cancer and control groups. Those who had G/A or A/A at XPD codon 312 showed a 1.85-fold (95% confidence interval=1.34-2.56) increased risk of bladder cancer compared to those with G/G. As for XPD codon 312 and promoter-114, there was no difference in distribution between the bladder cancer and control groups.

The heterozygous and homozygous A allele of the XPD codon 312 may be responsible for bladder carcinogenesis and useful in the early detection and prediction of bladder cancer.