Background: Gene polymorphism rs1048369 of glypican-4 (GPC4) gene has been reported to be significantly different between Epstein-Barr virus (EBV)-associated gastric carcinoma (GC) and EBV-negative GC. However, little is known about the polymorphism in nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC), which is a malignant tumor with a high prevalence of EBV.
Objective: The distribution of GPC4 polymorphism rs1048369 was investigated in NPC patients, especially in those with EBV infection. The association between the polymorphism of GPC4 and the susceptibility to EBV-positive and EBV-negative NPC was also explored.
Patients and methods: The GPC4 gene polymorphism rs1048369 was detected in 143 cases of EBV-positive NPC and in 19 cases of EBV-negative NPC using polymerase chain reaction. One hundred and seven peripheral blood samples from healthy individuals were also measured as a control group.
Results: The difference in genotype CC between EBV-positive NPC patients and healthy individuals was significant (χ2 = 15.273, p < 0.01). No significant difference was observed between EBV-positive and EBV-negative NPC cases. Between EBV-negative NPC cases and healthy individuals, there was no significant difference in GPC4 gene polymorphism in both genotypic and allelic frequencies.
Conclusions: The GPC4 gene polymorphism is associated with susceptibility to EBV-positive NPC. The CC genotype of GPC4 may represent a risk factor for NPC in Northern China.
Keywords: Epstein-Barr virus; GPC4; Gene polymorphism; Nasopharyngeal carcinoma.
© 2019 S. Karger AG, Basel.