Polymorphisms in SPARC and coal workers' pneumoconiosis risk in a Chinese population

PLoS One. 2014 Aug 15;9(8):e105226. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0105226. eCollection 2014.

Abstract

Background: The SPARC is a crucial matricellular protein and may influence the course of various diseases like tumor metastasis and fibrosis. In the present study, we investigated the association between the potential functional polymorphisms in SPARC and coal workers' pneumoconiosis (CWP) risk in a Chinese population.

Methods: Five potentially functional polymorphisms (rs1059279, rs1059829, rs1053411, rs2304052 and rs4958281) in SPARC were genotyped and analyzed in a case-control study including 697 CWP cases and 694 controls. The genotyping was used by the TaqMan method with the ABI 7900HT Real Time PCR system.

Results: Our results revealed that three SNPs (rs1059279, rs1059829, rs1053411) were significantly associated with increased risk of CWP under an additive model (OR = 1.35, 95%CI = 1.06-1.71, P = 0.015 for rs1059279; OR = 1.20, 95%CI = 1.03-1.39, P = 0.021 for rs1059829; OR = 1.31, 95%CI = 1.03-1.65, P = 0.025 for rs1053411). In the stratification analysis, significant associations were observed between each of these three SNPs and patients with 0-20 pack-years of smoking (OR = 1.73, 95%CI = 1.21-2.45 for rs1059279; OR = 1.48, 95%CI = 1.07-2.05 for rs105982; OR = 1.58, 95%CI = 1.13-2.22 for rs1053411). Furthermore, the association between rs1059279 and CWP risk remained significant among subjects with over 27 years of exposure (OR = 1.27, 95%CI = 1.03-1.56, P = 0.023). In the combined analysis of these five polymorphisms, individuals with multiple risk alleles had a higher risk of CWP (Ptrend = 0.015).

Conclusion: Our results indicate that three functional SPARC SNPs are associated with an increased risk of CWP in a Chinese population. Further functional research and validation studies with diverse populations are warranted to confirm our findings.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Aged
  • Anthracosis / genetics*
  • Case-Control Studies
  • China
  • Gene Frequency
  • Genetic Association Studies
  • Genetic Predisposition to Disease
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Occupational Diseases / genetics*
  • Osteonectin / genetics*
  • Polymorphism, Single Nucleotide
  • Risk

Substances

  • Osteonectin
  • SPARC protein, human

Grants and funding

This study was partly supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (81273044) and a project funded by the Priority Academic Program Development of Jiangsu Higher Education Institutions[PAPD]. The funders had no role in the study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript.