Correlation of Chitinase 3-Like 1 Single Nucleotide Polymorphisms with Hepatocellular Carcinoma in Taiwan

Abstract

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is the second leading cause of cancer death in Taiwan. Multiple risk factors, such as chronic hepatitis B or C virus infection, carcinogen exposure, cirrhosis, and various single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs), are considered to contribute to hepatocarcinogenesis. Chitinase-3-like protein 1 (CHI3L1), a biomarker implicated in inflammation and tissue remodeling, plays a promoting role in angiogenesis, antiapoptosis, and cell proliferation. This study investigated the role of <i>CHI3L1</i> SNPs in HCC susceptibility and clinicopathology. Real-time polymerase chain reaction was used to analyze four SNPs of <i>CHI3L1</i> in 343 patients with HCC and 686 cancer-free controls. We found associations with HCC susceptibility in <i>CHI3L1</i> rs880633 polymorphism carriers with genotypes (TC+CC). We observed that HCC patients had lower frequencies of <i>CHI3L1</i> rs6691378 polymorphisms with the variant genotype GA+AA than the wild-type carriers with distant metastasis and positive HBsAg did. In 200 HBsAg negative HCC patients, we observed that the <i>CHI3L1</i> rs4950928 polymorphisms carriers with the variant genotype CG+GG had higher frequencies of vascular invasion. Finally, carriers of <i>CHI3L1</i> rs6691378 and 10399805 polymorphisms with the variant genotypes GA+AA showed lower levels of alpha-fetoprotein in HCC laboratory status. In conclusion, our results indicate that patients with <i>CHI3L1</i> rs880633 variant genotypes TC+CC are at a higher risk of HCC. <i>CHI3L1</i> polymorphisms rs880633 or rs4950928 may be potential candidates for predicting poor HCC prognosis and clinical status.