The association of TNF-α promoter polymorphisms with genetic susceptibility to cervical cancer in a Chinese Han population

Abstract Background The Tumour necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) gene plays an important role in the host immune response. Recent studies have found that TNF-α also plays an important role in cancer. Polymorphism of the TNF-α promoter region is considered to influence its transcription and be a risk factor for tumorigenesis. In the current study, we evaluated the role of TNF-α promoter region polymorphisms in susceptibility to cervical intraepithelial neoplasia (CIN) and cervical cancer (CC). Methods A total of 2,732 subjects, including 1,173 healthy controls, 579 patients with CIN and 980 patients with cervical cancer in a Chinese Han population, were selected for the current study. Five SNPs in the TNF-α promoter, rs1799964 (C > T), rs800630 (A > C), rs1799724 (C > T), rs1800629 (A > G) and rs361525 (A > G), were selected and genotyped using TaqMan Assays. The association of these SNPs with cervical cancer was evaluated among healthy controls and CIN and cervical cancer patients. Results The frequency distribution of rs1800629 and rs361525 alleles was significantly different between the cervical cancer group and the control group (P = 0.009 and P = 0.002). The A alleles of rs1800629 and rs361525 were found to be a protective factor (OR = 0.722; 95%CI = 0.564–0.923) and a risk factor (OR = 1.693; 95%CI = 1.205–2.378) for cervical cancer, respectively. In comparison of different pathological types of cervical cancer group and the control group, the distribution of allele frequencies of rs1800629 and rs361525 was significantly different between the squamous cell carcinoma and control groups (P = 0.002 and P < 0.001). The A alleles of rs1800629 and rs361525 were protective (OR = 0.659; 95%CI = 0.502–0.864) and risk (OR = 1.868; 95%CI = 1.317–2.648) factors for cervical squamous cell carcinoma, respectively. Conclusion rs1800629 and rs361525 in the TNF-α promoter are associated with susceptibility to cervical cancer and squamous cell carcinoma in the Chinese Han population.