Objective: Group IVA cytosolic phospholipase A(2) (cPLA(2)alpha) plays a key role in tumorigenesis via generating arachidonic acids as the substrate of cyclooxygenase. The aim of this study was to elucidate the possible associations between cPLA ( 2 )alpha gene polymorphisms and phenotypic features of patients with familial adenomatous polyposis (FAP).
Patients and methods: A tag single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs)-based genotype-phenotype association study of the cPLA ( 2 )alpha gene was conducted in 73 Japanese patients from 59 families with FAP. Based on the HapMap database, seven tag SNPs of the cPLA ( 2 )alpha gene were selected and genotyped by direct sequencing analysis. The genotype-phenotype association in relation to the adenomatous polyposis coli (APC) gene mutation was also assessed.
Results: The single SNP analysis showed that rs3820185 C allele [odds ratio (OR), 2.5; 95% confidence interval (CI), 1.2-4.9] and rs127446200 GG genotype (OR, 10.9; 95%CI, 1.6-69.8), were more frequent in patients with gastric fundic gland polyposis (FGP) than in those without. Rs12749354 C allele was more frequently found in patients with small intestinal adenoma (OR, 7.0; 95% CI, 1.5-30.4; p = 0.008). This association was also significant when adjusted for covariates (age, sex, and APC mutation) in a logistic regression analysis (adjusted OR, 7.4; 95% CI, 1.2-64.2; p = 0.027).
Conclusions: The cPLA ( 2 )alpha gene may be a possible disease modifier gene in FAP.