The Relationship between -2548 G/A Leptin Gene Polymorphism and Risk of Breast Cancer and Serum Leptin Levels in Ahvazian Women

BACKGROUND Potential association of leptin (LEP) gene polymorphisms has been suggested in the processes leading to breast cancer initiation and progression. We investigated whether genetic variations in the LEP -2548G/A gene are associated with risk of breast cancer. METHODS This case-control study consisted of 100 breast cancer cases and 100 control subjects without breast cancer that matched for age and body mass index (BMI). Genotyping of LEP -2548G/A polymorphism was performed by polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism (PCR-RFLP) assay. Serum leptin level was determined by ELISA in all study subjects. RESULTS The genotype distributions (AA, AG, and GG) were 36, 55, and 9% in breast cancer cases and 52, 45, and 3% in control group, respectively. The frequency of LEP -2548 GG genotype was significantly elevated in breast cancer cases as compared to controls (χ2=6.90, p=0.032). Similar difference was also found in allele frequencies between two groups (χ2=5.65, p=0.017). A markedly increase risk of breast cancer was associated with the LEP -2548GG genotype when compared to the LEP -2548 AA genotype (OR=4.33, 95% CI=1.09-17.22). In addition, postmenopausal women who bear at least one LEP -2548 G allele were at a markedly increased risk of breast cancer after adjusting for age and BMI confounders (OR=12.24, 95% CI=1.13-131.73). CONCLUSION The LEP -2548 G/A polymorphism is associated with markedly increased risk of breast cancer especially in postmenopausal Ahvazian women and supported the hypothesis that leptin is involved in breast cancer.