ABSTRACT
<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To investigate the effects of FAS and FASL gene polymorphisms on genetic susceptibility of coal worker's pneumoconiosis and their relationship to the pulmonary fibrosis.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>340 with coal worker's pneumoconiosis (CWP) and 312 coal mine workers (controls) exposed to the coal dusts were selected. FAS-1377G > A, FAS-670A > G and FASL-844T > C gene polymorphisms were analyzed by PCR-RFLP techniques.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>The distribution frequencies of genotypes of FAS-1377, FAS-670, FASL-844 genotypes in CWP had no significant differences compared to the control. Compared to CWP patients with exposure year > or = 25, the risk of pneumoconiosis with FAS-1377 GA/AA genotype was significantly higher than those with FAS-1377GG in the patients working age < 25 years (P = 0.098, 95% CI: 0.932 approximately 2.298); the risk of CWP in those with FAS-670AG genotype was higher than those with FAS-670GG genotype (P = 0.098, 95% CI: 0.928 approximately 2.404) the risks of CWP in those with FASL-844TT genotype and FASL-844TC genotype were respectively higher than those with FASL-844CC genotype (P = 0.039, 95% CI: 1.088 approximately 27.358, P = 0.089, 95% CI: 0.852 approximately 2.101). The frequencies of genotypes of FASL-844T > C were significantly different between CWP patients with exposure year > or = 25 and < 25. The risk of CWP with FASL-844TT genotype was significantly higher than that of FASL-844TT + TC (P = 0.054, 95% CI: 0.971 approximately 23.833). The risk of CWP patients with FASL-844TT/CT + FAS-1377GA genotype was 1.810-fold than the patients with FASL-844CC + FAS-1377GG genotype. The risk of CWP patients with FASL-844TT/CT + FAS-670AG genotype was 2.117-fold than the patients with FASL-844CC + FAS-670AA genotype. The risk of CWP patients with FASL-844TT/TC + FAS-1377GA/AA + FAS-670AG/GG genotype was 2.043-fold than the patients with FASL-844CC + FAS-1377GG+FAS-670AA genotype.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>FAS-1377G > A, FAS-670A > G and FASL-844T > C gene polymorphisms may not be associated with the susceptibility of CWP in Han nationality, but these three gene polymorphisms and their joint actions may influence on the progression of CWP.</p>