Association between single nucleotide polymorphisms of DNMT1 gene and cancer

Background: The relation between Single Nucleotide Polymorphisms (SNPs) and a number of diseases has triggered many researches. Objective: Investigating the possible relations between SNPs present in DNMT1 gene from man’s chromosome 19 and colorectal cancer. Methods: This was a case/control study in which 100 patients with colorectal cancer, referred to Research Center of Gastroenterology and Liver Diseases of Shaheed Beheshti Medical University during 2008, were chosen as case group. The control group included an equal number of patients who visited the medical center for a variety of reasons. Genetic test was carried out on all patients to determine the type of 6 SNPs of DNMT1 gene from man’s chromosome 19. Data were statistically analyzed by SPSS software using chi-square test and logistic regression. Findings: All SNPs investigated showed significant relations with colorectal cancer indicating that in all cases the chance of getting colorectal cancer in people with genotype 1 and 2 was much higher than those with genotype 0. Conclusion: By exploring people’s SNPs, it is feasible to predict the risk of catching colorectal cancer and thus establishing proper preventive measures.