Fangyi Gu

ScD, MD

National Cancer Institute

Research Fellow

PLCO (Learn more about this study)

PLCO-191

Feb 3, 2016

Genome-wide association study of multiple inflammatory makers (MIP) in PLCO

Various cancers are linked with chronic inflammatory conditions, such as lung cancer with COPD [1], lymphoma with Sjogren syndrome [2], colorectal cancer with inflammatory bowel disease [3]. Inflammation is a major arm of the immune response and it results in the generation of genotoxic free radicals and reactive oxygen species, which can increase the risk of developing malignancy [4]. The complex pathophysiologic process is triggered as part of the innate immune system in response to tissue damage. It involves a long cascade of biochemical molecules including pro- and anti-inflammatory components as well as immune response molecules such as C-reactive protein (CRP), various interleukins (ILs), growth factors, cytokines (e.g. tumor necrosis factor-alpha, TNF-α) etc. Given the importance of inflammation in carcinogenesis, understanding the relationship of inherited genetic factors on inflammatory markers is important for several reasons. First, it will provide further information for understanding the underlying mechanisms of inflammation and cancer. Second, it sets a foundation for the further study of inflammation and cancer, such as using Mendelian Randomization theory for causal inference [5]. Third, it is the key to study gene-environmental interactions. Fourth, it can refine potential features of inflammatory pathways that can be applied to personalized prevention and treatment [6-8]. Previous genome-wide association study (GWAS) has found novel SNPs associated with CRP, the most well recognized inflammatory marker [9-13]. However, no previous GWAS has been performed for inflammation marker panels systematically.