A large French case-control study emphasizes the role of rare Mc1R variants in melanoma risk.
BIOMED RESEARCH INTERNATIONAL 2014;
2014:925716. [PMID:
24982914 PMCID:
PMC4003837 DOI:
10.1155/2014/925716]
[Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/14/2014] [Accepted: 03/12/2014] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND
The MC1R gene implicated in melanogenesis and skin pigmentation is highly polymorphic. Several alleles are associated with red hair and fair skin phenotypes and contribute to melanoma risk.
OBJECTIVE
This work aims to assess the effect of different classes of MC1R variants, notably rare variants, on melanoma risk. Methods. MC1R coding region was sequenced in 1131 melanoma patients and 869 healthy controls. MC1R variants were classified as RHC (R) and non-RHC (r). Rare variants (frequency < 1%) were subdivided into two subgroups, predicted to be damaging (D) or not (nD).
RESULTS
Both R and r alleles were associated with melanoma (OR = 2.66 [2.20-3.23] and 1.51 [1.32-1.73]) and had similar population attributable risks (15.8% and 16.6%). We also identified 69 rare variants, of which 25 were novel. D variants were strongly associated with melanoma (OR = 2.38 [1.38-4.15]) and clustered in the same MC1R domains as R alleles (intracellular 2, transmembrane 2 and 7).
CONCLUSION
This work confirms the role of R and r alleles in melanoma risk in the French population and proposes a novel class of rare D variants as important melanoma risk factors. These findings may improve the definition of high-risk subjects that could be targeted for melanoma prevention and screening.
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