Genetic polymorphisms in the microRNA binding-sites of the thymidylate synthase gene predict risk and survival in gastric cancer

Thymidylate synthase (TYMS) plays a crucial role in folate metabolism as well as DNA synthesis and repair. We hypothesized that functional polymorphisms in the 3′ UTR of TYMS are associated with gastric cancer risk and survival. In the present study, we tested our hypothesis by genotyping three potentially functional (at miRNA binding sites) TYMS SNPs (rs16430 6bp del/ins, rs2790 A>G and rs1059394 C>T) in 379 gastric cancer patients and 431 cancer-free controls. Compared with the rs16430 6bp/6bp+6bp/0bp genotypes, the 0bp/0bp genotype was associated with significantly increased gastric cancer risk (adjusted OR=1.72, 95% CI=1.15-2.58). Similarly, rs2790 GG and rs1059394 TT genotypes were also associated with significantly increased risk (adjusted OR=2.52, 95% CI=1.25-5.10 and adjusted OR=1.57, 95% CI=1.04-2.35, respectively), compared with AA+AG and CC+CT genotypes, respectively. In the haplotype analysis, the T-G-0bp haplotype was associated with significantly increased gastric cancer risk, compared with the C-A-6bp haplotype (adjusted OR=1.34, 95% CI=1.05-1.72). Survival analysis revealed that rs16430 0bp/0bp and rs1059394 TT genotypes were also associated with poor survival in gastric cancer patients who received chemotherapy treatment (adjusted HR=1.61, 95% CI=1.05-2.48 and adjusted HR=1.59, 95% CI=1.02-2.48, respectively). These results suggest that these three variants in the miRNA binding sites of TYMS may be associated with cancer risk and survival of gastric cancer patients. Larger population studies are warranted to verify these findings.