ABSTRACT
PURPOSE: Interindividual genetic differences in susceptibility to chemical carcinogens are one of the most important host factors in human cancer. The genetically determined differences in metabolism, related to cytochrome P450 (CYP450) genes have been reported to be associated with various cancer susceptibility. The present study was set up to establish the frequency of the polymorphic genotypes of two CYP450 (CYP2E1/PstI and CYP2E1/DraI) isozymes in Korea, to evaluate a possible increased incidence of the genotype associated with higher cervical cancer risks among Korean cervical cancer patients. MATERIALS AND METHODS: In this study, extracted DNAs from 228 cervical cancer patients and 360 normal healthy controls were analysed with the polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymosphism (PCR-RFLP) method. RESULTS: In the CYP 2E1 genotypes, detected by PstI or RsaI digestion, there were no statistically remarkable differences between the cervical cancer patients and control groups. And when the cervical cancer patients were divided into subgroups with respect to the age, the frequency of CYP 2E1/PstI polymorphisms in the cervical cancer patients under the 40 years old was not significantly higher compared to the controls or the patients above the 40 years old and, c1/c1 genotype was prominent in this type of polymorphism. The frequency of CYP 2E1/DraI polymorphisms in the cervical cancer patients was not significantly higher compared to the controls, and D/D genotype was prominent in this type of polymorphism. In cervical carcinoma, the polymorphic genotypes of CYP 2E1 were not correlated to other parameters including clinical stage, histological tumor type, and degree of differentiation. CONCLUSION: These results suggest that individuals carrying CYP 2E1/PstI (c1/c1) or CYP 2E1/DraI (D/D) alleles are not genetically susceptible to cervical cancer in Korea.