Interaction of cytochrome P4501A1 genotypes with other risk factors and susceptibility to lung cancer

Abstract Lung cancer is the most common cause of death throughout the world with cigarette smoking being established as the major etiological factor in lung cancer. Since not much information is available regarding the polymorphism in drug metabolizing enzymes and lung cancer risk in the Indian population, the present case–control study attempted to investigate the association of polymorphisms in cytochrome P450 1A1 (CYP1A1) and glutathione- S -transferase M1 (GSTM1) with risk to squamous cell carcinoma of lung malignancy. Patients suffering from lung cancer ( n  = 200) and visiting OPD facility of Department of Radiotherapy, King George's Medical University, Lucknow, were included in the study. Equal number ( n  = 200) of age and sex matched healthy individuals were also enrolled in the study. Our data revealed that the variant genotypes of CYP1A1*2A, CYP1A1*2C and CYP1A1*4 were found to be over represented in the lung cancer patients when compared to controls. CYP1A1*2A variant genotypes (combined heterozygous and mutant genotypes) revealed significant association towards the lung cancer risk (OR: 1.93, 95%CI: 1.28–2.89, p  = 0.002). Likewise, GSTM1 null genotypes were found to be over represented in patients when compared to controls. Haplotype analysis revealed that CYP1A1 haplotype, C-G-C increased the lung cancer risk (OR: 3.90, 95%CI: 1.00–15.04, p  = 0.025) in the patients. The lung cancer risk was increased several two-to fourfold in the patients carrying the genotype combinations of CYP1A1*2A and GSTM1 suggesting the role of gene–gene interaction in lung cancer. Cigarette smoking or tobacco chewing or alcohol consumption was also found to interact with CYP1A1 genotypes in increasing the risk to lung cancer further demonstrating the role of gene–environment interaction in development of lung cancer.