Common variations within HACE1 gene and neuroblastoma susceptibility in a Southern Chinese population

Neuroblastoma is a common fatal pediatric cancer of the developing sympathetic nervous system, which accounts for ~10% of all pediatric cancer deaths. To investigate genetic risk factors related to neuroblastoma, many genome-wide association studies have been performed, and single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) within HACE1 gene have been identified to associate with neuroblastoma risk. However, the association of the HACE1 SNPs with neuroblastoma needs to be validated in Southern Chinese children. We genotyped five SNPs located in the HACE1 gene (rs4336470 C>T, rs9404576 T>G, rs4079063 A>G, rs2499663 T>C, and rs2499667 A>G) in 256 Southern Chinese patients in comparison with 531 ethnically matched healthy controls. Single locus analysis showed no significant association between any of HACE1 SNPs and neuroblastoma risk in Southern Chinese children. However, when all the risk genotypes were combined, we found a borderline significant trend toward an increased neuroblastoma risk with 4–5 risk genotypes (adjusted odds ratio =1.36, 95% confidence interval =0.98–1.89, P=0.065). Moreover, stratified analysis found that carriers of 4–5 risk genotypes tended to develop neuroblastoma in the retroperitoneal region and have more aggressive tumors, progressing to advanced clinical stages III/IV, when compared with those of 0–3 risk genotypes. In conclusion, HACE1 gene may have weak effect on neuroblastoma risk in Southern Chinese children. Large well-designed studies are needed to strengthen our findings.