NRAMP1 and hGPX1 gene polymorphism and response to bacillus Calmette-Guérin therapy for bladder cancer

The natural resistance-associated macrophage protein 1 (NRAMP1) gene is associated with susceptibility to Mycobacterium tuberculosis in humans and to bacillus Calmette-Guérin (BCG) in mice. The detoxification enzyme, human glutathione peroxidase 1 (hGPX1), is associated with recurrence of bladder cancer (BCa).

To determine whether NRAMP1 and hGPX1 gene polymorphisms correlate with response to BCG immunotherapy for non-muscle-invasive BCa (NMIBC).

DNA was obtained from the peripheral blood of 99 NMIBC patients who were prospectively randomized to receive postresection intravesical BCG (81 mg [n=50] or 27 mg [n=19]) or BCG (27 mg) with interferon alpha (IFN-α; n=30). The median follow-up time was 60 mo.

Intravesical BCG or BCG-IFN-α.

Restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP) analysis was performed to identify polymorphisms in the NRAMP1 promoter region (GT repeat number) and at position 543 (aspartate [D] and/or asparagine [N] expression) within the NRAMP1 protein (D543N) and position 198 (proline and/or leucine expression) within the hGPX1 protein (Pro198Leu). Data were analyzed using χ(2) analysis, multivariate analysis, and Kaplan-Meier curves.

On univariate analysis, the NRAMP1 D543N G:G genotype had decreased cancer-specific survival (CSS; p=0.036). The hGPX1 CT genotype (Pro-Leu) had decreased recurrence time (p=0.03) after BCG therapy. On multivariate analysis, patients with the NRAMP1 D543N G:G genotype and allele 3 (GT)n polymorphism had decreased recurrence time (p=0.014 and p=0.03) after BCG therapy. The limitation of this study was its small sample size.

Polymorphisms of the NRAMP1 and hGPX1 genes may be associated with recurrence of BCa after BCG immunotherapy.