CD36 rs1761667 Polymorphism and Its Impact on Molecular Signatures in Bladder Cancer

Bladder cancer remains a heterogeneous disease, and genetic factors are increasingly recognized as potential contributors to its pathogenesis. CD36, a multifunctional scavenger receptor implicated in lipid metabolism and tumor progression, has not been previously investigated in relation to bladder cancer-associated polymorphisms.

This study examined the relationship between the rs1761667 variant and CD36 mRNA expression.

Our study included 30 patients with bladder cancer and 19 controls. PCR-RFLP genotyping for rs1761667 and RT-qPCR quantification of CD36 mRNA expression, with GAPDH as the reference gene, were performed. Expression levels were analyzed using the 2^-ΔΔCt method, and statistical significance was defined as p < 0.05.

In patients, CD36 expression varied significantly across rs1761667 genotypes with reduced expression in AA carriers compared with GG carriers (post hoc, p = 0.009, with a Holm-adjusted p = 0.03). No significant genotype-related differences were observed among controls. Genotype distributions did not differ significantly between cases and controls (χ², p = 0.053).

These results indicate that rs1761667 may modulate CD36 transcription in a genotype-dependent manner, particularly in the disease context. Overall, our findings point to a potential biological connection between inherited CD36 variation and bladder cancer-related pathways, underscoring the need for further validation in tumor tissues.