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Comparative Study
. 2008 Feb;16(2):339-47.
doi: 10.1038/oby.2007.44.

Modifying effects of IL-6 polymorphisms on body size-associated breast cancer risk

Martha L Slattery  1 , Karen Curtin, Carol Sweeney, Roger K Wolff, Richard N Baumgartner, Kathy B Baumgartner, Anna R Giuliano, Tim Byers
Affiliations
Comparative Study

Modifying effects of IL-6 polymorphisms on body size-associated breast cancer risk

Martha L Slattery et al. Obesity (Silver Spring). 2008 Feb.

Abstract

Objective: The association between obesity and breast cancer risk is complex. We examined whether the association between body size and breast cancer risk is modified by interleukin-6 (IL6) genotype.

Methods and procedures: Five polymorphisms in the IL-6 gene (rs1800797/-596A>G, rs1800796/-572G>C, rs1800795/-174G>C, rs2069832/IVS2G>A, and rs2069849 exon 5 C>T) were studied. We investigated IL6 genotypes and haplotypes with indicators of body size among non-Hispanic white (NHW) and Hispanic/American Indian (AI) breast cancer cases and controls living in the Southwestern United States.

Results: We observed lower mean levels of BMI among NHW women who carried one or two copies of the GGCAC haplotype (in order: rs1800797, rs1800796, rs1800795, rs2069832, and rs2069849; P trend 0.02). This haplotype, with an estimated frequency of 43% in NHW study controls, was considerably less common in Hispanic/AI controls (19%). We did not detect significant interactions between IL6 genotypes or haplotypes and BMI categorized as low/normal (<25), overweight (25 to <30), or obese (> or =30) and breast cancer risk in either NHW or Hispanic/AI women. However, we detected consistent and significant interactions between waist-to-hip ratio (WHR) and IL6 rs1800795/-174 G>C genotype for breast cancer risk. These associations were restricted to postmenopausal NHW women. Among women without recent hormone exposure, those with a WHR >0.9 and the rs1800795 GG genotype had a greater than threefold increased risk of breast cancer (odds ratios (ORs) 3.22, 95% confidence intervals (CIs) 1.27, 817) when compared with women with a WHR <0.8 and the rs1800795 GG genotype (P interaction 0.01).

Discussion: These data suggest that IL-6 genotypes may influence breast cancer risk in conjunction with central adiposity.

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Conflict of interest statement

DISCLOSURE

The authors declared no conflict of interest.

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