Association of Long Non-Coding RNA Polymorphisms with Gastric Cancer and Atrophic Gastritis

Abstract

Long non-coding RNAs (lncRNA) play an important role in the carcinogenesis of various tumours, including gastric cancer. This study aimed to assess the associations of lncRNA <i>ANRIL, H19, MALAT1, MEG3, HOTAIR</i> single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) with gastric cancer and atrophic gastritis. SNPs were analyzed in 613 gastric cancer patients, 118 patients with atrophic gastritis and 476 controls from three tertiary centers in Germany, Lithuania and Latvia. Genomic DNA was extracted from peripheral blood leukocytes. SNPs were genotyped by the real-time polymerase chain reaction. Results showed that carriers of <i>MALAT1</i> rs3200401 CT genotype had the significantly higher odds of atrophic gastritis than those with CC genotype (OR-1.81; 95% CI 1.17-2.80, <i>p</i> = 0.0066). Higher odds of AG were found in a recessive model (CC vs. TT + CT) for <i>ANRIL</i> rs1333045 (OR-1.88; 95% CI 1.19-2.95, <i>p</i> = 0.0066). Carriers of <i>ANRIL</i> (rs17694493) GG genotype had higher odds of gastric cancer (OR-4.93; 95% CI 1.28-19.00) and atrophic gastritis (OR-5.11; 95% CI 1.10-23.80) compared with the CC genotype, and carriers of <i>HOTAIR</i> rs17840857 TG genotype had higher odds of atrophic gastritis (OR-1.61 95% CI 1.04-2.50) compared with the TT genotype; however, the ORs did not reach the adjusted significance threshold (<i>p</i> < 0.007). In summary, our data provide novel evidence for a possible link between lncRNA SNPs and premalignant condition of gastric cancer, suggesting the involvement of lncRNAs in gastric cancer development.