High HIF-1` expression genotypes increase odds ratio of oral cancer

Abstract

Objective The aim of this study was to assess whether C1772T and G1790A HIF-1α polymorphisms are associated with odds ratio of oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) development. Materials and Methods Restriction fragment length polymorphism analysis was used to investigate hypoxia-inducible factor (HIF)-1α C1779T and G1790A polymorphisms in 48 patients with epithelial dysplasia (ED) and 40 patients with OSCC. Additionally, 88 elderly individuals without head and neck squamous cell carcinoma were enrolled as a control group. Results The frequency of the TT, GA and AA genotypes was higher in patients with ED and OSCC when compared with controls. However, CT genotype was associated with moderate epithelial dysplasia in ED patients, while TT genotype was more frequent in OSCC patients. Conclusions In conclusion, our study demonstrated that the T and A alleles of C1772T and G1790A polymorphisms of the HIF-1α gene increased the risk of ED and OSCC. C1772T and G1790A polymorphisms of the HIF-1α gene had differing patterns of allelic imbalance in the precancerous lesions and subsequent carcinoma, suggesting a complex genetic pattern of progression from dysplasia to carcinoma. These findings suggest an additional role for HIF-1α in OSCC development. Further studies are necessary to elucidate the HIF-1α pathway in carcinogenesis, which would facilitate the development of novel therapeutic strategies for the prevention and treatment of OSCC and other solid tumours.