Uracil-DNA glycosylase (UNG) rs246079 G/A polymorphism is associated with decreased risk of esophageal cancer in a Chinese population

Esophageal cancer is the sixth leading cause of cancer-associated death worldwide. In addition to environmental risk factors, genetic factors might play an important role in esophageal cancer carcinogenesis. We conducted a hospital-based case-control study to evaluate the association between functional single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in uracil-DNA glycosylase (UNG) and the development of esophageal cancer. A total of 380 esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) cases and 380 controls were recruited for this study. The UNG rs3219218 A/G and UNG rs246079 G/A genotypes were determined using matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF MS). When the UNG rs246079 GG homozygote genotype was used as the reference group, the GA genotype was associated with a significantly decreased risk for ESCC (GA vs. GG: adjusted OR 0.67, 95 % CI 0.49-0.91, P = 0.011); the AA genotype was not associated with the risk of ESCC. In stratification analyses, a significantly decreased risk of ESCC associated with the UNG rs246079 G/A polymorphism was evident among women, younger patients and never-smokers and never-drinkers. The UNG rs3219218 A/G polymorphism was not associated with the risk for ESCC. These findings indicated that UNG rs246079 G/A might contribute to a decreased risk of ESCC in specific populations. Because of the limited sample size, further studies including a larger and more diverse population, as well as tissue-specific biological characterization, are required to confirm the current findings.