Background & objective: Matrix metalloproteinase-2 (MMP-2) and -9 (MMP-9) play important roles in the development of gastric cancer. This study was to investigate the association of functional polymorphisms in the MMP-2 and MMP-9 genes with risk of gastric cancer in a Chinese population.
Methods: MMP-2 -1306T/C,and MMP-9 -1562C/T polymorphisms in 228 patients with gastric cancer, and 774 matched healthy controls were detected by polymerase chain reaction (PCR)-based denaturing high performance liquid chromatography, and PCR-based restriction fragment length polymorphism analysis. The adjusted odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were calculated using unconditional logistic regression model. The effect-modified model was used to evaluate the gene-gene interaction.
Results: Subjects with the MMP-2 -1306CC genotype had an increased risk of developing gastric cancer compared with those with the MMP-2 -1306TT or CT genotype (adjusted OR, 1.67; 95% CI, 1.17-2.38). No significant association between MMP-9 -1562C/T polymorphism and risk of gastric cancer was observed. However, the polymorphisms in these 2 genes seem to display a gene-gene interaction, with OR of 1.72 (95% CI, 1.07-2.78) for subjects carrying both MMP-2 -1306CC and MMP-9 -1562TT or CT genotypes compared with those carrying both MMP-2 -1306TT or CT and MMP-2 -1306T/C genotypes (likelihood ratio test, P=0.02).
Conclusion: MMP-2 -1306T/C and MMP-9 -1562C/T polymorphisms may be associated with genetic susceptibility to gastric cancer.