Association between TAP1 gene polymorphism and esophageal cancer in a Han Gansu population

This study aims to investigate the association between transporter associated with antigen processing 1 gene (TAP1) polymorphism and esophagus cancer in a Han Gansu population. TAP1 637A/G polymorphism was analyzed in 200 Han Gansu patients with esophagus cancer and 100 ethnically matched healthy Gansu population by polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism (PCR-RFLP). The adjusted odds ratios (OR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI) were performed by logistic regression model. The results indicated that significant difference was observed in genetype frequencies of TAP1 polymorphisms (AA, AG and GG) between esophagus cancer patients and normal subjects (P=0.045). However, only AG genotype was significantly elevated in esophagus cancer compared with controls (35 vs. 23%; P=0.035; OR=2.8), suggesting a significant positive association with esophagus cancer susceptibility. Meanwhile, AG genotype was found to be associated with gender, age, lymph node metastasis and distant metastasis (P<0.05) but rather than with smoke history and tumor size in esophagus cancer. In conclusion, TAP1 637-Asp/Gly polymorphism correlates with the risk of esophagus cancer in a Han Gansu population, which might be served as a genetic susceptibility marker in esophagus cancer patients.