Association between polymorphism of interleukin 17 (IL-17F) and increased susceptibility to gastric cancer

Background and Gastric cancer is one of the most common gastrointestinal cancers in the world. Gastric cancer is the most common cancer in north of Iran. Interleukin-17F (IL-17F) is a pro-inflammatory cytokine expressed by a novel subset of CD4+ Th cells (Th-17)، and it causes the occurrence and strengthening the inflammatory response. This study aimed to assess the association between IL-17F- A7488G polymorphism and potential susceptibility to gastric cancer. A case-control study consisting of 161 gastric cancer patients with mean age 62. 14 ± 12. 6 and 171 healthy controls with mean age 58. 93 ± 14. 2 was conducted. Genomic DNA was extracted and genotypes of - A7488G polymorphism were assessed through polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism (PCR-RFLP). The frequency of G allele was higher in gastric cancer patients (12. 1%) compared with the control group (9. 15%)، but these differences were not significant (P═0. 22). In addition، the distribution of GG genotype was not significantly differed between the patients and the controls (4. 3% vs. 1. 8%، P=0. 182). Furthermore، logistic regression analysis revealed no significant association between the presence of 7488G allele and clinical stages (P=0. 28)، tumor grade (P=0. 36) and H. pylori infection (P=0. 89). These results suggest that IL-17F A7488G polymorphism in the promoter of IL-17F gene is not directly assumed as a genetic risk factor in the predisposition to gastric cancer.