Association of the OCTN1/1672T variant with increased risk for colorectal cancer in young individuals and ulcerative colitis patients

BACKGROUND: Ulcerative colitis (UC) is associated with colorectal cancer. Chronic inflammation may also play a role in the pathogenesis of sporadic colorectal cancer (SCC), particularly in younger patients (<55 years). We evaluated whether single nucleotide polymorphisms of the OCTN1 and OCTN2 genes are associated with UC, SCC, and with UC cases with cancer progression (UCCP). METHODS: We evaluated the OCTN1 and OCTN2 polymorphisms in 200 patients with UC, 59 patients with UCCP, 200 patients with SCC, and 200 controls (HC). IL-8 expression was also assessed by real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR). Additionally, we transfected human colon carcinoma Caco2 cells, homozygous for OCTN1/1672T variant, with the OCTN1/1672C allele and NF-κB activity was evaluated by luciferase based reporter assay and IL-8 mRNA expression by real-time PCR. RESULTS: OCTN2 polymorphisms did not present a significant association with any group of patients compared to normal controls. Conversely, homozygosity for the OCTN1/1672T variant was significantly associated with UC (P = 0.047 vs. HC), with UCCP (UCCP vs. HC, P < 0.001), and with SCC developing in early age (<55 years) (P = 0.021 vs. HC). Importantly, IL-8 mRNA expression was higher in UC and UCCP patients homozygous for the OCTN1 1672T variant compared to the other genotypes. Moreover, in Caco2 cells transfection of the OCTN1/1672C variant reduced the activity of the proinflammatory factor NF-κB. CONCLUSION: Our data demonstrate that OCTN1 could have a role in modulating the severity of chronic inflammation associated with SCC in early age and in UC patients, and that its polymorphisms may help to predict malignant progression of IBD.