RESUMO
Objective To investigate the relationship between nucleotide excision repair cross-complementing (ERCC) gene polymorphisms [single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) sites: rs11615, rs13181, rs238406, rs6498486, rs17655] and susceptibility to endemic arsenic poisoning. Methods The study recruited 848 subjects, including 348 cases and 500 controls, from populations exposed to high arsenic levels through drinking water in northwest China, and 3 - 5 ml venous blood was collected. The genotypes were determined using polymerase chain reaction and restriction fragment length polymorphism techniques(PCR-RFLP). Logistic regression analysis was used to assess the association of genotypes with endemic arsenic poisoning. Results The polymorphisms of rs11615 (ERCC1), rs238406 (ERCC2), rs6498486 (ERCC4) and rs17655 (ERCC5) and endemic arsenic poisoning were not related(P > 0.05). Participants who carried the CC genotype or at least one C allele for the ERCC2 rs13181 had an increased risk of endemic arsenic poisoning[OR(95%CI)=1.63(1.13,2.34),1.64(1.14,2.34)]compared with wild type homozygous individuals. Conculsions There is no positive correlation between the polymorphisms of ERCC1 rs11615, ERCC2 rs238406, ERCC4 rs6498486, ERCC5 rs17655 and endemic arsenic poisoning. ERCC2 rs13181 polymorphism increases the risk of endemic arsenic poisoning.