Association of Kinase-Insert-Domain-Containing Receptor Polymorphisms with Glioma Susceptibility in a Chinese Population: A Hospital-Based Case-Control Study

Background

Gliomas are the most common malignant tumors of the central nervous system. However, the inherited genetic variation in gliomas is presently unclear. Therefore, this study investigated the association of the rs2071559 and rs2239702 gene polymorphisms with glioma susceptibility in Chinese patients.

Methods

In this study, a case-control approach was used to compare and analyze whether two genes, rs2071559 and rs2239702, were associated with the risk of glioma formation.

Results

The cases and controls were matched for sex, smoking status, and family history of cancer using single nucleotide polymorphisms. Specific rs2071559 and rs2239702 alleles were found much more frequently in the glioma group than in the control group (P < 0.001 and P = 0.014, respectively).

Conclusions

These findings suggest that specific rs2071559 and rs2239702 polymorphisms are associated with a higher risk of glioma development; the risk allele is C in rs2071559 or A in rs2239702. Moreover, the kinase-insert-domain-containing receptor may act as a suppressor of tumor progression.

Phenotypic plasticity vs. local adaptation in quantitative traits differences of Stipa grandis in semi-arid steppe, China

Whether plants are able to adapt to environmental changes depends on their genetic characteristics and phenotypic plastic responses. We investigated the phenotypic responses of 7 populations of an important dominant species in semi-arid steppe of China - Stipa grandis, and then distinguished which adaptive mechanism(s), phenotypic plasticity or local adaptation, was/were involved in this species to adapt to environmental changes. (1) All traits were significantly influenced by the interaction of population and growth condition and by population in each condition, and inter-population variability (CVinter) was larger in the field than in the common garden for 8/9 traits, indicating that both phenotypic plasticity and genetic differentiation controlled the phenotypic differences of S. grandis. (2) From a functional standpoint, the significant relationships between the values of traits in the common garden and the environmental variables in their original habitats couldn't support local habitat adaptation of these traits. (3) Low CVintra, low quantitative differentiation among populations (Q ST ), and low plasticity shown in the western populations indicated the very low adaptive potential of S. grandis to environmental changes. (4) From the original habitats to the common garden which is far away from S. grandis distribution region, positive phenotypic responses were found in several populations, indicating that some original habitats have become unfavorable for S. grandis.