No Association Between FTO Gene Polymorphisms and Central Nervous System Tumor Susceptibility in Chinese Children

Yuxiang Liao,1 Li Yuan,2 Zhiping Zhang,1 Ao Lin,3 Jingying Zhou,4 Zhenjian Zhuo,3 Jie Zhao1 1Department of Neurosurgery, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha 410008, Changsha, People’s Republic of China; 2Department of Pathology, Guangzhou Women and Children’s Medical Center, Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou 510623, Guangdong, People’s Republic of China; 3Department of Pediatric Surgery, Guangzhou Institute of Pediatrics, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Research in Structural Birth Defect Disease, Guangzhou Women and Children’s Medical Center, Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou 510623, Guangdong, People’s Republic of China; 4Department of Hematology, The Second Affiliated Hospital and Yuying Children’s Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou 325027, Zhejiang, People’s Republic of ChinaCorrespondence: Jie ZhaoDepartment of Neurosurgery, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, 87 Xiangya Road, Changsha 410008, Hunan, People’s Republic of ChinaEmail steelzj@csu.edu.cnZhenjian ZhuoDepartment of Pediatric Surgery, Guangzhou Institute of Pediatrics, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Research in Structural Birth Defect Disease, Guangzhou Women and Children’s Medical Center, Guangzhou Medical University, 9 Jinsui Road, Guangzhou 510623, Guangdong, People’s Republic of ChinaTel +86-13510841053Email zhenjianzhuo@163.comBackground: Central nervous system (CNS) tumor is a malignancy commonly seen occurring in childhood, worldwide. Fat mass and obesity-associated (FTO) enzyme, initially identified as an obesity-related protein, also functions as a susceptibility gene for cancers. However, predisposing effect of FTO gene single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) on CNS tumor risk remains unknown.Methods: Herein, we genotyped 314 CNS tumor patients and 380 healthy controls samples from three hospitals to explore whether FTO gene SNPs impact CNS tumor risk. TaqMan SNP genotyping assay was applied for the genotyping. Odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs), generated from multinomial logistic regression, were applied to determine the associations of SNPs (rs1477196 G>A, rs9939609 T>A, rs7206790 C>G, and rs8047395 A>G) in FTO gene with risk of CNS tumor.Results: We failed to detect significant associations between FTO gene SNPs and CNS tumor risk, either in single-locus or combined analysis. A significantly increased ependymoma risk was found for carriers with 3– 4 risk genotypes in comparison to 0– 2 risk genotypes (adjusted OR=1.94, 95% CI=1.11– 3.37, P=0.020).Conclusion: Our data indicated that FTO gene SNPs are unlikely to have large effects on CNS tumor risk but may have weaker effects.Keywords: CNS tumor, risk, FTO, polymorphism, Chinese