Association of VEGF and KDR Single Nucleotide Polymorphisms With Colorectal Cancer Susceptibility in Koreans

Vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and its receptor kinase insert domain-containing receptor (KDR) play crucial roles in angiogenesis, which contributes to the development and progression of solid tumors. The aim of this study was to investigate the associations of VEGF (-2578C>A, -1154G>A, -634G>C, and 936C>T) and KDR (-604T>C and 1192G>A) polymorphisms with the development of colorectal cancer (CRC). A total of 882 participants (390 CRC patients and 492 controls) were enrolled in the study. The genotyping of VEGF and KDR polymorphisms was performed by polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism assay. We found that the CT and TT genotype of the 936C>T was associated with an increased risk of CRC compared with the CC genotype as the dominant model for the T allele. In addition, we also found a increased CRC risk with TC+CC genotype of KDR -604T>C compared with TT genotype in CRC patients and control subjects. Similarly, KDR 1192G>A also showed significant association between 1192G>A variants and risk of CRC. In the haplotype analyses, haplotype -2578A/-1154A/-634G/936T of VEGF polymorphisms and haplotype -604C/1192G and -604C/1192A of KDR polymorphisms were associated with an increased susceptibility of CRC. Our results suggest that the VEGF 936C>T, KDR -604T>C, and KDR 1192G>A polymorphisms may be contribute to CRC risk in the Korean population. (c) 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.