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Association of breast cancer risk with genetic variants showing differential allelic expression: Identification of a novel breast cancer susceptibility locus at 4q21

Published version
Peer-reviewed

Change log

Authors

Hamdi, Y 
Soucy, P 
Adoue, V 
Michailidou, K 
Canisius, S 

Abstract

There are significant inter-individual differences in the levels of gene expression. Through modulation of gene expression, cis-acting variants represent an important source of phenotypic variation. Consequently, cis-regulatory SNPs associated with differential allelic expression are functional candidates for further investigation as disease-causing variants. To investigate whether common variants associated with differential allelic expression were involved in breast cancer susceptibility, a list of genes was established on the basis of their involvement in cancer related pathways and/or mechanisms. Thereafter, using data from a genome-wide map of allelic expression associated SNPs, 313 genetic variants were selected and their association with breast cancer risk was then evaluated in 46,451 breast cancer cases and 42,599 controls of European ancestry ascertained from 41 studies participating in the Breast Cancer Association Consortium. The associations were evaluated with overall breast cancer risk and with estrogen receptor negative and positive disease. One novel breast cancer susceptibility locus on 4q21 (rs11099601) was identified (OR = 1.05, P = 5.6x10−6). rs11099601 lies in a 135 kb linkage disequilibrium block containing several genes, including, HELQ, encoding the protein HEL308 a DNA dependant ATPase and DNA Helicase involved in DNA repair, MRPS18C encoding the Mitochondrial Ribosomal Protein S18C and FAM175A (ABRAXAS), encoding a BRCA1 BRCT domain-interacting protein involved in DNA damage response and double-strand break (DSB) repair. Expression QTL analysis in breast cancer tissue showed rs11099601 to be associated with HELQ  (P = 8.28x10−14), MRPS18C (P = 1.94x10−27) and FAM175A  (P = 3.83x10−3), explaining about 20%, 14% and 1%, respectively of the variance inexpression of these genes in breast carcinomas.

Description

Keywords

association studies, breast cancer, cis-regulatory variants, differential allelic expression, genetic susceptibility

Journal Title

Oncotarget

Conference Name

Journal ISSN

1949-2553
1949-2553

Volume Title

7

Publisher

Impact Journals
Sponsorship
European Commission (223175)
Cancer Research UK (16565)
Cancer Research Uk (None)
Cancer Research Uk (None)
Cancer Research Uk (None)
National Cancer Institute (U19CA148537)
National Cancer Institute (U19CA148065)
National Cancer Institute (R01CA128978)
Cancer Research UK (10118)
Cancer Research Uk (None)
Information regarding funding can be found in the published article or the publisher's website. Funders include Cancer Research UK and the National Institute for Health Research.