Feasibility Study of the Detection of SNPs Associated with Breast Cancer by Genome-Wide Association Virtual Studies

Available genomic data and genome-wide association virtual studies provide the possibility of genetic markers detection known to be associated with complex diseases. Genome Wide Associated Studies (GWAS)، which involve direct testing of genetic polymorphisms in large series of disease cases versus controls، provide a powerful approach to identify lower penetrance alleles that cannot be already detected by genetic linkage studies. By utilizing computer and software systems، it is possible to detect the association of SNPs with diseases without prior knowledge of the function or position. GWAS has been conducted in five of the most common cancer types: breast، prostate، colorectal، lung، and melanoma. GWAS of the breast cancer was performed by simulation of 7 known SNPs on chromosomes 2، 5، 6، 8، 10، 11 and 16 for 10000 women. A simulation study was performed using GWASimulator software and data were analyzed by R software (SNPassoc package). The strongest associations were found for rs2981582 in the FGFR2 gene. SNPs rs889312، rs2180341 and rs3817198 were associated with breast cancer. However، SNPs rs13387042، rs2180341 and rs13281615 on chromosomes 2، 6، and 8 were not associated with the disease، which requires more cases and controls to be stimulated. The results of this research showed that the detection of SNPs associated with the disease was easily possible through employing virtual systems based on real data of Hap Map project using R software.