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Breast Cancer Research
Published in: Breast Cancer Research 5/2004

Open Access 01-10-2004 | Research article

UDP-glucuronosyltransferase and sulfotransferase polymorphisms, sex hormone concentrations, and tumor receptor status in breast cancer patients

Authors: Rachel Sparks, Cornelia M Ulrich, Jeannette Bigler, Shelley S Tworoger, Yutaka Yasui, Kumar B Rajan, Peggy Porter, Frank Z Stanczyk, Rachel Ballard-Barbash, Xiaopu Yuan, Ming Gang Lin, Lynda McVarish, Erin J Aiello, Anne McTiernan

Published in: Breast Cancer Research | Issue 5/2004

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Abstract

Introduction

UDP-glucuronosyltransferase (UGT) and sulfotransferase (SULT) enzymes are involved in removing sex hormones from circulation. Polymorphic variation in five UGT and SULT genes – UGT1A1 ((TA)6/(TA)7), UGT2B4 (Asp458Glu), UGT2B7 (His268Tyr), UGT2B15 (Asp85Tyr), and SULT1A1 (Arg213His) – may be associated with circulating sex hormone concentrations, or the risk of an estrogen receptor-negative (ER-) or progesterone receptor-negative (PR-) tumor.

Methods

Logistic regression analysis was used to estimate the odds ratios of an ER- or PR- tumor associated with polymorphisms in the genes listed above for 163 breast cancer patients from a population-based cohort study of women in western Washington. Adjusted geometric mean estradiol, estrone, and testosterone concentrations were calculated within each UGT and SULT genotype for a subpopulation of postmenopausal breast cancer patients not on hormone therapy 2–3 years after diagnosis (n = 89).

Results

The variant allele of UGT1A1 was associated with reduced risk of an ER- tumor (P for trend = 0.03), and variants of UGT2B15 and SULT1A1 were associated with non-statistically significant risk reductions. There was some indication that plasma estradiol and testosterone concentrations varied by UGT2B15 and SULT1A1 genotypes; women with the UGT2B15 Asp/Tyr and Tyr/Tyr genotypes had higher concentrations of estradiol than women with the Asp/Asp genotype (P = 0.004). Compared with women with the SULT1A1 Arg/Arg and Arg/His genotypes, women with the His/His genotype had elevated concentrations of testosterone (P = 0.003).

Conclusions

The risk of ER- breast cancer tumors may vary by UGT or SULT genotype. Further, plasma estradiol and testosterone concentrations in breast cancer patients may differ depending on some UGT and SULT genotypes.
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Metadata
Title
UDP-glucuronosyltransferase and sulfotransferase polymorphisms, sex hormone concentrations, and tumor receptor status in breast cancer patients
Authors
Rachel Sparks
Cornelia M Ulrich
Jeannette Bigler
Shelley S Tworoger
Yutaka Yasui
Kumar B Rajan
Peggy Porter
Frank Z Stanczyk
Rachel Ballard-Barbash
Xiaopu Yuan
Ming Gang Lin
Lynda McVarish
Erin J Aiello
Anne McTiernan
Publication date
01-10-2004
Publisher
BioMed Central
Published in
Breast Cancer Research / Issue 5/2004
Electronic ISSN: 1465-542X
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1186/bcr818

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