Gene May Be Linked to Lung Cancer

Marshall Anderson, Ph.D.,
University of Cincinnati
NIEHS Grant P30ES006096

Recent research from the Environmental Health Sciences Center at the University of Cincinnati indicates that a gene known as RGS17 and found on chromosome 6 may be a lung cancer susceptibility gene. The researchers found a significant association between three single nucleotide polymorphisms in the gene and lung cancer susceptibility. These results were confirmed in two separate familial lung cancer populations with a combined total of 380 lung cancer cases and 638 controls.

In addition to the human studies, transgenic mouse experiments were conducted as well. The animal studies showed inhibition of lung tumor cell proliferation and the development of tumors in mice when RGS17 gene expression was decreased.

Cigarette smoking is the number one cause of lung cancer. However, only 15-18% of heavy smokers develop lung cancer and some people who never smoke develop lung cancer. These studies point to a genetic link that may help to explain both phenomena and could lead to new prevention strategies to decrease the occurrence of lung cancer and to identify people who are at increased risk of developing the disease.

Citation: You M, Wang D, Liu P, Vikis H, James M, Lu Y, Wang Y, Wang M, Chen Q, Jia D, Liu Y, Wen W, Yang P, Sun Z, Pinney SM, Zheng W, Shu XO, Long J, Gao YT, Xiang YB, Chow WH, Rothman N, Petersen GM, de Andrade M, Wu Y, Cunningham JM, Wiest JS, Fain PR, Schwartz AG, Girard L, Gazdar A, Gaba C, Rothschild H, Mandal D, Coons, T, Lee J, Kupert E, Seminara D, Minna J, Bailey-Wilson JE, Amos CI, Anderson MW. Fine mapping of chromosome 6q23-25 region in familial lung cancer families reveals RGS17 as a likely candidate gene. Clin Cancer Res. 2009 Apr 15;15(8):2666-74.