<abstract xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml">

<sec id="j_raon-2018-0005_s_005">
<h3>Background</h3>
<p>Malignant mesothelioma (MM) is a rare disease, linked to asbestos exposure in more than 80% of the cases. Matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) have been identified as modulators of the tumour microenvironment and carcinogenesis. Polymorphisms of selected MMPs have been studied as potential biomarkers of time to progression (TTP) and overall survival (OS) in MM. The aim of our study was to investigate selected MMP polymorphisms as baseline risk predictors in MM development in combination with other well known risk factors, such as asbestos exposure.</p></sec>
<sec id="j_raon-2018-0005_s_006">
<h3>Patients and methods</h3>
<p>The study included 236 patients and 161 healthy blood donors as the control group. Ten different polymorphisms in three MMP genes were genotyped using a fluorescence-based competitive allele-specific assay (KASPar): <italic>MMP2</italic> rs243865, rs243849 and rs7201, <italic>MMP9</italic> rs17576, rs17577, rs2250889 and rs20544, and <italic>MMP14</italic> rs1042703, rs1042704 and rs743257. In statistical analyses continuous variables were described using median and range (25%–75%), while frequencies were used to describe categorical variables. Deviation from the Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium (HWE) was assessed using the standard chi-square test. The additive and dominant genetic models were used in statistical analyses. The association of genetic polymorphism with MM risk were examined by logistic regression to calculate odds ratios (ORs) and their 95% confidence intervals (CIs).</p></sec>
<sec id="j_raon-2018-0005_s_007">
<h3>Results</h3>
<p>Carriers of at least one polymorphic <italic>MMP2</italic> rs243865 allele tended to have a decreased risk for MM (OR = 0.66, 95% CI = 0.44–1.00; P = 0.050). The association was more pronounced in patients with known asbestos exposure: carriers of at least one polymorphic allele had significantly lower MM risk (OR = 0.55, 95% CI = 0.35–0.86; P = 0.009). None of the other tested polymorphisms showed association with the risk of malignant pleural mesothelioma.</p></sec>
<sec id="j_raon-2018-0005_s_008">
<h3>Conclusions</h3>
<p>The <italic>MMP2</italic> rs243865 polymorphism may have a protective role in malignant pleural mesothelioma development. This finding is even more evident in patients exposed to asbestos, implying a strong gene-environment interaction.</p></sec>
</abstract>

Background
Malignant mesothelioma (MM) is a rare disease, linked to asbestos exposure in more than 80% of the cases. Matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) have been identified as modulators of the tumour microenvironment and carcinogenesis. Polymorphisms of selected MMPs have been studied as potential biomarkers of time to progression (TTP) and overall survival (OS) in MM. The aim of our study was to investigate selected MMP polymorphisms as baseline risk predictors in MM development in combination with other well known risk factors, such as asbestos exposure.

Patients and methods
The study included 236 patients and 161 healthy blood donors as the control group. Ten different polymorphisms in three MMP genes were genotyped using a fluorescence-based competitive allele-specific assay (KASPar): MMP2 rs243865, rs243849 and rs7201, MMP9 rs17576, rs17577, rs2250889 and rs20544, and MMP14 rs1042703, rs1042704 and rs743257. In statistical analyses continuous variables were described using median and range (25%–75%), while frequencies were used to describe categorical variables. Deviation from the Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium (HWE) was assessed using the standard chi-square test. The additive and dominant genetic models were used in statistical analyses. The association of genetic polymorphism with MM risk were examined by logistic regression to calculate odds ratios (ORs) and their 95% confidence intervals (CIs).

Results
Carriers of at least one polymorphic MMP2 rs243865 allele tended to have a decreased risk for MM (OR = 0.66, 95% CI = 0.44–1.00; P = 0.050). The association was more pronounced in patients with known asbestos exposure: carriers of at least one polymorphic allele had significantly lower MM risk (OR = 0.55, 95% CI = 0.35–0.86; P = 0.009). None of the other tested polymorphisms showed association with the risk of malignant pleural mesothelioma.

Conclusions
The MMP2 rs243865 polymorphism may have a protective role in malignant pleural mesothelioma development. This finding is even more evident in patients exposed to asbestos, implying a strong gene-environment interaction.

Matrix metalloproteinases polymorphisms as baseline risk predictors in malignant pleural mesothelioma

Radiology and Oncology

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 3.0 License.

Background
Malignant mesothelioma (MM) is a rare disease, linked to asbestos exposure in more than 80% of the cases. Matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) have been...

Matrix metalloproteinases polymorphisms as baseline risk predictors in malignant pleural mesothelioma

Article Category: Research Article

Published Online: Feb 07, 2018

Page range: 160 - 166

Received: Dec 10, 2017

Accepted: Dec 17, 2017

DOI: https://doi.org/10.2478/raon-2018-0005

© 2018 Danijela Strbac, Katja Goricar, Vita Dolzan, Viljem Kovac, published by Sciendo

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 3.0 License.