Relationship between CDH23 gene and risk of noise-induced hearing loss

Objective: To investigate the relationship between CDH23 gene and the risk of noise-induced hearing loss (NIHL). Methods: : This was a case-control study. Noise-exposed workers worked in a steel factory in North China was recruited and been divided into two groups: the case group (BHFTA ≥40 dB) and the control group (BHFTA<25 dB). We analyzed the association among 18 single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in CDH23 and NIHL risk using the generalized multifactor dimensionality reduction (GMDR) method. Logistic regression was performed to analyze the main effects of SNPs and the interactions between CNE and SNPs adjusting cumulative noise exposure (CNE), smoking, drinking, physical exercise and hypertension. Results: : In this study, 776 subjects of period I and 1117 subjects of period I+II were recruited. The results showed that subjects who carried the AA genotype of rs3802711possessed significantly increased risk of NIHL than those carrying GG (OR: 2.71; 95% CI:1.15, 6.39) and GA+GG (OR: 2.54; 95% CI: 1.09, 6.00) in period I, respectively. For rs11592462, subjects carrying the GG genotype showed a significantly increased risk of NIHL compared with the subjects. Significant relationships were showed between rs10999947, rs3802711, rs10762480, rs3752751, rs3752752, rs3747867, and rs11592462 for NIHL overall and various CNE strata. There was no significant association between the rs1227049 - rs3752752 - rs10999947 - rs3752751 - rs10762480 - rs3802711 - rs11592462 - rs4747195 - rs4747194 - rs10466026 haplotypes and NIHL risk. Conclusions: : The genetic variation in the CDH23 gene might play an important role in determining individual susceptibility to NIHL.